The Cafe In Manahatta
by Lil6ter
Summary: The coffee was hot. Steaming hot as I poured it into his cup. It warmed my hands through the pristine white china. I set it down on his tray, smelling it and closing my eyes. His lips would touch the crisp edge of this cup. Summery in first chapter
1. Part 1

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

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The coffee was hot. Steaming hot as I poured it into his cup. It warmed my hands through the pristine white china. I set it down on his tray, smelling it and closing my eyes. His lips would touch the crisp edge of this cup. The coffee would pour into his mouth and warm it. He would bite into the scone that I have prepared for him with love, care, and extra everything. I set this one aside from the rest. He has been coming to my little café every Saturday and Sunday since it opened. He sits in the same place, drinks the same coffee, eats the same scones. He is my beautiful constant, and one day, I will build up the courage I need to go over there and talk to him and stop loving him from afar.

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The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

Part One

I have come to the conclusion that when hearts bleed, they really bleed. You can literally see the blood dripping down them, ever so slowly. All of that blood, coating it red, sliding down it, tainting it for the entire world to see.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

What makes a heart bleed?

Well, that is another conclusion that I have drawn.

Anything can make a heart bleed. Pain. Anger. Death. Loss. Betrayal. Anything bad really. Now you are asking me how I learned what makes a heart bleed? Well, I suppose that it is a natural question, and I suppose that I should answer it. It all started about eight years ago. It was a cool, crisp autumn night and I was walking down the not so lonely streets of Manhattan from a friend's house.

Sixteen. That is how old I was, and he was seventeen. The perfect age difference for a high school student. I bumped into him, or he into me, and we hit it off. Five years. That is how long we dated. One year. That is how long we were engaged. Two hours. That's how long it took for him to be beaten to death for two tickets to Cancun.

My heart bled. Red and gushing, it bled. It still bleeds, and I can still see the blood dripping down it.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

It pools in the pit of my soul, and it grows bigger and bigger. It's expanding even now. My bleeding heart kept bleeding after he was placed in the ground. After the dress was returned. After the invitations had to be canceled. After the caterer refused to give back our down payment.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

It took me two years to recover. Two years to pull my life back together all while looking at that ever-expanding puddle. I started our dream without him, or rather, I am continuing it without him. He bought a building for us so that we could run our own little café in Manhattan. We had always loved cafés and the feel of them. I loved to cook scones, and he brewed the best coffee on the east coast. Rich and smooth…it felt like hot velvet sliding down your throat. Thinking about it makes that little puddle widen more.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

I built this place into what it is. Glass tiles, slate, warm earth tones, glass display cases…I chose them all. I picked the pictures, and the paint colors. I did everything on my own, save for the help of my sister. My sister…I wish that I could call her that now. My blood runs redder because of her. The flow had ebbed, but now it is heavier, and the puddle grows thicker.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

I have seen it all: the pain, the anger, the loss, the death, the betrayal. All of it, and I know the color of my blood. I know how it runs as I watch it drip every day. Everyday since I met him.

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A/N: I hope everyone likes it so far! I am gonna keep the chapters very short this time: short like this. And yes…I know that I am crazy starting this right now…but on the upside…I have my 1st seven done for this :D. R&R! Remember….every review gets a reply!


	2. Part 2

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: Lil6ter

Part Two

It was opening day. I remember feeling little shivers run up my spine at the idea of finally completely our dream. It was a happy, yet sad day. Happy because all of the work was finally going to pay off, and by that I mean debts, and sad because he was not here by my side. Everything was neat. Clean. Health inspector grade A worthy. I had made sure of that. I had just finished pulling out a batch of fresh muffins, blueberry with the berries bursting open and glistening in the glass fixtures around the room, making the dough a pink blue, when the door opened.

It wasn't him, and you will soon know who I mean when I say _him_, but it was my first customer. Her appearance was enough to trigger endorphins and I felt tingly all over with excitement as she walked over to me, placing an order for one of those blueberry muffins and a cup of coffee. It was so exciting to see her coming my way that I almost forgot about the blood. Almost.

I reached into the case and pulled out the muffin she wanted before running to get a thin, plastic cup and pouring hot, steaming coffee into it. My coffee wasn't, _isn't_, nearly as good as the man's who used to hold my heart, but it was good. I still can't even speak his name. Instead, I call him Joe or Bob. They are generic names and they dull the pain a little more. You can never begin to imagine what it is like lose someone like how I lost Joe.

Then again, maybe you have, and if you have then you know why I do it. If you don't then I am not asking you to understand why. Just know that this is my coping mechanism.

I gave her coffee and muffin and slipped the six dollars and fifty cents into the cash register as he bustled out of the café. Everyone is in a rush in the city. If you didn't know that yet, then I will tell you that now. We all have places to go, people to see, jobs to do, or responsibilities to skip out on. It is one of the most basic facts of life here. Don't stop to make friends because we won't stop to make friends with you. We are all so jaded, and I think that is what set him apart from everyone else.

I attracted a lot of poets that day. Writers. People who are into the vibe of a café. I filled up nicely and my sister stopped by at least once to say hi and gab a cup of coffee and a chocolate death muffin. Those are her favorite ones. I used to make them all the time when we were kids. I went through our pantry one day when I was in dire need of something chocolate, threw everything I could find into bowl, mixed it up, popped it into the oven, and then savored. I had made them ever since then for the two of us, and they are my specialty. Bob loved them too. I never charged my sister when she comes in because she helped out so much. She paid me back in ways that six fifty never would. She was on her way out when _he_ walked in.

Black hair, tan skin, chocolate eyes. Perfection that I wanted to throw into my batter mix and eat up. Slowly.

I felt like I was betraying Joe though when I thought of that, but that didn't stop a pang of want from spreading through me for the first time in two years. I watched him walk over to me, his messy hair falling into those chocolate eyes as I watched him skim the muffins, then the scones. He chose one, blueberry, and ordered a cup of coffee.

I asked him, "To stay or to go?"

"To stay," he said.

I nodded and got him his order. I returned to see him running his hand through his hair and rearranging the strap of what I took to be a laptop bag.

Poet.

That is what I decided when I looked at him.

He thanked me, paid me, and left me wanting more of him as he sat in a secluded corner of the café. Away from the rest of the world, and lost in his own. I watched him all that day until he left, and the bleeding eased for the first time since Bob's death.

A/N: Hope you like the story so far (and anyone who reviewed *cough vampire-fetish cough*)! Remember to R&R! Thanks to Salarah for editing!


	3. Part 3

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

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The Café In Manahatta

By: Lil6ter

Part Three

He came in the next day too. It was a Sunday. I had been looking for him all day, wondering if he would come again. My little café was still new: a day old. It was too early to have regulars, but I still had some of the same faces from the day before pop in. I got more writers and poets hanging around, I was sure. I could still taste the buzz from the day before, and the excitement was still fresh in my bones. I would keep myself busy with little tasks that had little or no importance, yet meant everything. I would clean the tops of my display cases, sweep the floors, things that I had done the night before and could do that night again.

I baked a lot that day. It kept me busy, and people seemed to favor my chocolate death muffins and blueberry scones the most. I knew that I needed to give my chocolate muffins a more sophisticated name, but I just couldn't think of one that I liked. Nonetheless, I spent most of my day backing them and refilling the glass cases and taking people orders when they tapped the little bell.

I was never a fan of that bell. It reminded me of something that a bellhop would have to obey. Am I a bellhop? Not that I knew of, yet I still had that little bell there. My _dearest_ sister got that bell for me a few days before the café opened. It was a house-warming gift of sorts I suppose, and she told me that I needed that bell.

I ran a one-woman show here. I am the boss, chef, waitress, and all around employee. I want to keep an eye on everything all at once, really, I do. It is hard though when you are the only one working here though. It was my decision not to hire anyone yet. I wanted to hold out for a year or so. Just until I can pay off my debt and have a stable enough work environment to hire someone. The bell was useful, even if I did dislike it.

I would look up whenever I heard someone ring it or come in through the two doors and I would feel my heart jump into my throat. It wasn't him though. It was never him. I later learned that on Sundays, he would only come in the evenings, if he came. He did come that day though. I can't recall what time it was, but the sun was set. That much I do know.

I was in the back popping in a tray of chocolate muffins when I heard the bell up front.

"Coming," I called to the customer as I set the timer. I dusted off the palms of my hands on my apron to get off invisible flour, and pumped some purel into them. I rubbed them clean, and was pleased with the chemical end clean feel that resulted. It is a necessity to keep your hands clean in this business. Hygiene is very important, and if you don't keep clean, then you do even want to _know_ what all will happen to you.

I came to the front though and untied my plaid blue, ruffle trimmed waist apron and hung it up, only to see that he was here again. I was surprised, but pleasantly so. He ordered coffee and a blueberry scone.

"To stay or to go?"

"To stay," he replied, readjusting the strap of his laptop bag.

He showed me which scone he wanted, and waited for me to pour him some coffee. I handed both of them to him, and he handed me a ten. I needed a ten. You would be surprised by how many people in this place wanted to pay for something that cost around six dollars with a twenty or a fifty. His ten was a God send. I gave him back his change, and he left to go to his same spot as before.

It was hard to not stare at him. I loved the way the light hit his face. It really illuminated his features. And put a sparkle into his eyes.

He was my last customer that night, and I watched him sit there are everyone else left.

There was only one other person that came in that night, and I wonder now if that had been the start of things.

"I have something for you."

"The last time you said that," I retorted, "I received a bell and I have not been able to find a moment of ding free peace since!"

"You know you like it," she teased. "Hearing that bell is how you hear how successful you are. Can I have a banana hunky chunky?"

To this day, I have no idea where I got most of my muffin names. I think that my sister named most of them when we were younger, and sometimes the worst names stick no matter how much you wish they wouldn't. The banana hunky chunky was a banana nut muffin.

"Sure," I told her reaching into the display case and pulling out the nicest looking one. I was glad that there was hardly anyone else in the café. I really didn't want to go through with explaining why I was giving away free muffins.

"Thanks," she replied, biting into it. "Mn…dat goo mumin."

"I try to talk to people without food in their mouths."

She laughed at that and told me not to be so stuck up and proper. She jokingly informed me that I act like a fifty year old woman and that I should lighten up for once. That would be the start of a new conversation that I didn't want to get into.

"You said you had something for me?"

"Yup! It's in the shopping bag," she replied as she hoisted it up onto the top of the counter and gently placed it on top of the glass. My sister can be a klutz, and I thanked God that she didn't break the glass.

I reached into the bag and pulled out a large box. I opened the box and was greeted to the site of packing peanuts and a round glass knob. I carefully reached in and pulled out a glass lid that went to a jar with the word Tips delicately etched into it. It was a beautiful jar. One that I had been wanting for a long time, but never got around to ordering.

"I thought that you would like it," she practically squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet in utter delight.

"Thank you, I do."

"Now then, how about another muffin for the best sister in the whole world?" she asked as I reached in and handed it to her.

"I never said that…" I teased, and she proceeded to throw a piece of her muffin at me, laughing.

She bit into her muffin and made me promise not to stay up too late and over work herself before she walked out of the café and into the night.

He proceeded to leave my store a few moments later.

I wouldn't see him again until next Saturday.

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A/n: Thanks to everyone that has reviewed the story so far! Much love! I know that I have some problems with tenses, but if anyone wants to help, lemme know! No names yet…sorry…but I want you to get to know the characters first. It's important. Remember to R&R people!


	4. Part 4

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

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The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

Part Four

Monday through Friday was uneventful, but nice. I was starting to see who my regulars were, and who were the ones that would want to stay, and who were the ones that would stop and then go. My sister was a regular. She would come in every day, no matter what.

She kept a close eye on me. I think that it was because she was afraid of what would happen to me because Joe wasn't here. I slipped into a depression of sorts after I laid the daffodils upon his grave. Daffodils are my favorite flower, and the first kind that he ever gave me. I was going to have daffodils in my wedding bouquet. Now, I can't look at a daffodil without tears springing to my eyes.

I saw her everyday for at least a few minutes when she would grab a muffin or a scone and some coffee, but never the same thing. She was unpredictable in that way.

I saw him again Saturday morning. He came in with his messy hair, and asked for coffee and a blueberry scone.

"For here or to go?"

"For here."

I pour him the coffee and gave him his scone. He gave me ten dollars, and shifted the strap of his laptop bag. He walked over to his little corner and lifted his laptop out of his bag and started typing away. I could just imagine the words that he was writing.

_**A White Rose**_

_The red rose whispers of passion,  
And the white rose breathes of love;  
O the red rose is a falcon,  
And the white rose is a dove._

_But I send you a cream-white rosebud  
With a flush on its petal tips;  
For the love that is purest and sweetest  
Has a kiss of desire on the lips._

_~ John Boyle O'Reilly_

I knew that he was not writing that per say, but oh, how I let my mind wander! I couldn't help but imagine the soft words that his fingers produced on that keyboard. I needed a name for him though, for I did not want to continue to call him, _him._ I couldn't call him just anything though, because there wasn't a name that would really sum him up. I called him my white rose, because I believed that he would be my white knight, and I believed that he wrote poetry of love and passion.

I saw him again on Sunday evening, and then I saw him once more on Saturday morning. I was quickly becoming attuned to his routine, and I enjoyed his constant presence immensely.

I think that that is why I was so concerned when one Sunday evening he never showed up. I kept the café open longer then I normally do, but he never came. I was immensely troubled by this. Things felt off at the café without him there.

Monday evening, My _dearest_ sister came to visit. She was even happier then usual, and had a more defined bounce in her step.

"Can I raid your recipes?" she asked.

I raised my eyebrow in suspicion.

"Why?"

"No reason," she replied smoothly, staring at her fingernails, but I knew that there was something more to it. I chose to question her about it later though, for I knew that if she didn't want to share, I wouldn't get anywhere with her. I reached into my jeans and pulled out the keys to the door that leads to some stairs, which lead to another door. That door needed the second key that I gave her.

I live here above the café. Joe and I were going to live here…but that was before he died. I just couldn't get myself to rent out the space because it was part of _our_ dream and I didn't want anyone else to take it from me.

"You know where they are?" I asked the squealing woman.

"Yup! Thanks sis! I really need this!"

"Why?"

"No reason," she countered giggling as she ran to the door and unlocked it.

I never noticed that her purse strap looked worse for wear.

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A/N: Again…no names…but the plot thickens a bit in this chapter, you just don't know it yet (but I bet I have some close readers who are catching on) :D. So far I have one guess as to who's who from angel-up-above-heaven. Much love to ya. Her guess is that the café owner is Sango, the sister is Kagome, and the writer is Miroku. I won't say if it's right or not…but defiantly a possibility. I will tell you this though…we have a few more chapters to go. I really really want you to just get to know them first though. I DID leave a hint in this chapter though. Thank you so much to everyone that has reviewed so far! I love it and it keeps me updating everyday (which I am guessing people like, especially since the chapters are short)!


	5. Part 5

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

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The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

Part Five

I was worried about my White Rose all week. He never showed up Monday. He never showed up Tuesday. I didn't expect him to, but I hoped that he would appear Wednesday or Thursday. Friday would have even been a comforting day to see him on, but no…he never came. I made sure that I had lots of blueberry scones though in case if he did.

One minute. That's how long it takes for him to walk through the door and place his order. Three minutes. That's how long it takes me to fill that order. Thirty seconds. That's how long it takes for me take the ten dollars out of his hand, and give him back three dollars and fifty cents.

Do the math: one, plus three, plus point three. Four and a half minutes. Multiply that number by two, and you have a total of nine minutes. That is how much time I interact with him in a week, yet somehow that never happened on Sunday, and now he wasn't coming it for that extra four and a half minutes.

Saturday came.

"Coffee and a cranberry muffin."

That was my first order of the day. The cranberry muffins were new, and I was surprised that they were selling. Mr. Simon was an old man of about seventy, but he stopped by every day, and spent a good portion of the day here. He was a sweet little fellow with a lot of spunk and liked to sit by the window, reading a book or watching the world and its youth. I often thought of what was going on in that mind of his. There was a story behind that prune wrinkled face, but this is not his story. This is not about his bleeding heart.

"Here you go Mr. Simon," I smiled as I handed him his order, and he my six fifty.

He thanked me, and regarded me with a critical eye. I was tempted to ask what, but I decided against it. Besides…Mr. Simon was always one to get straight to the point. That was something else that I had learned about him in the three months time that my Café had been open for at that point.

"Tell me young lady, why is it that no one comes to visit you?"

I raised my eyebrow at his question.

"What do you mean? My sister stops by everyday."

"Ah yes…but no male friends stop by. You are an attractive enough girl…" I was not sure how to take that comment, so I chose to ignore it. "by no one ever comes by besides by besides for your sister. Why is that?"

"There are some stories," I started, "that aren't worth telling."

He snorted, but moved away from the counter when the door opened.

"Every story is worth being told," he said as my eyes widened ever so slightly when I saw my White Rose walk through the front door, "and I will want to hear yours one of these days."

I smiled to Mr. Simon and turned my full attention to the man before me.

"Coffee and a blueberry scone."

"To stay or to go?" I asked, already taking down one of the pristine white china cups.

"To go."

I almost dropped my cup.

"All…all right," I replied.

I put the cup back and reached for one of the thin plastic cups and filled it to the brim with coffee. He didn't have his laptop bag.

"Can I get two cups of coffee, actually? And a pumpkin muffin as well?"

I wanted to ask questions, oh how I wanted to, but I didn't. The pumpkin muffin was a new one as well. It was October, and people were in the mood for all things fall. No one had ever tried the muffin before…not even my sister, and she normally tried everything first.

"Sure."

I set aside the coffee and started filling up another cup to go. Then I got the muffin and scone. He gave me a twenty. I gave him a five and two singles.

Six minutes. That is how long he was there for. I had an extra minute and a half that day.

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A/N: Damn…someone got it! No fair…:-P. I won't say who or _when_ someone got it because that would ruin all the fun…but I am gonna post another chapter later tonight too, and that other chapter will finally give names. There is a pay off though: prom is tomorrow, so I might not have a chance to post a chapter then, but if I do, consider it a bonus tonight. Anyways…much love to everyone who is reading and reviewing!


	6. Part 6

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

Part Six

The next three months were the same…almost. My White Rose would stop in every Saturday morning, and every Sunday evening. I could tell when he was going to stay or go though because of the laptop. Sometimes he would order an extra cup of coffee and a muffin: always a new one that had never been tried by anyone before.

"To stay or to go?"

That was the only thing I ever said to him, and I felt a comfort overcome me with that single question, and his simple response. My heart warmed whenever he replied, and a tingle raced up my spine when I touched the palm of his hand.

I gave him coffee and I gave him a scone. He gave me peace of mind and comfort.

My sister stopped by one day and asked if she could help me bake for a few days.

I never saw the harm. I should have, for all she wanted to learn how to make were blueberry scones.

"I have been eating a lot of them lately," she told me when I asked why. It was true. She had been. She had become a little less adventurous. "I really like what you have been doing with them. I am surprised that I didn't try them sooner, but they are really good. I like them more then chocolate death."

I took her under my wing. Taught her everything I knew about it, and soon, she was just as good as I was at making them, if not better.

"You are too stingy with your blueberries," she told me one day. "People like them more with extra blueberries."

She was right. They tasted better that way, and they were selling faster then before.

One Friday night, she came in with a shopping bag full of grocery supplies.

"Can I use your kitchen? I'll clean up, I swear!"

"Sure," I told her, pressing the palms of my hands against my ears when she squealed and sang out praises to the entire café. I had to man handle her back to the kitchen to get her to stop talking for just a few minutes.

She stayed in there until closing.

"Did you pass out Kagome?" I called back to her as I walked to the kitchen. She was covered with flour smudges on her cheek, and her fingers were sticky with a blueberry, egg, flour paste.

"No…but I am almost finished."

"What have you been doing?" I demanded, walking over to see several Tupperware containers filled with the scones.

"Cooking," she giggled. "That is what most people do in the kitchen you know."

"You made a mess of yourself."

"Eh. I'll be fine. Besides, Inuyasha will take care of me when I stop by. I am sure that he won't mind liking it off of me."

I froze. When had Kagome started to keep secrets from me? I knew all of her friends, and none of them were called Inuyasha, and while there were a few guys that would be willing to lick stuff off of her, I knew that she wouldn't let any of them because of her past.

"Inuyasha?"

I saw her stiffen and the laughter left the room. Everything was cold and still. I could tell that she hadn't wanted to tell me that.

"Who is Inuyasha?" I asked again. "Kagome? Are you dating someone and you never told me?"

"Kikyo…I…I wanted to tell you but…" she sighed and I could tell that she wanted to run her hand through her hair, but didn't.

"So you are."

"I am."

"And you didn't tell me because, why exactly? We tell each other everything. Why didn't you tell me about him too?"

"Because of Na—"

"_Don't_," I hissed, "say his name."

"Fine then. Because after _Joe_ died, you died, and I couldn't bring my love life into a life where you were so broken."

"Get out," I snarled.

"I need to clean up."

"I'll do it. Just leave."

She did.

A/N: Speaking of getting out…the names are out! Yay! Now that people see that this story is being told through Kikyo's eyes, can you understand why I wanted you to get into the story first? I am not a hater, nor am I a lover of Kikyo. I am a neutral, but I feel as if it would be nice to have a good story, written by a die hard Inu/Kag writer, write something nice staring her. I know that she is a bit bitchy and cruel in this chapter (kinda goes against what I just said…) but please…give this a chance. She rights her wrong. We still don't know who the 'poet' is, but that will come out in time.

Thank you to everyone that has read and reviewed!

Thanks too to vampire-fetish15 and kittykritik on FF who are proving to be die-hards so far…much love to ya! Thanks also to jengablockk and Captain Libeka!

Also, thanks to xXmika_ookamiXx, the only person to review me on IY fics (and I KNOW other people are reading this.)

Thanks also to those on MM, like kokoronagomu, BD (yeah…you got it right :-P). Special thanks to my other two die-hards, angel-up-above-heaven and jflorea!

I know that this isn't the end of the story, but I have a bad feeling about reading and reviewing from here on out, so I wanted to give props while people still are.


	7. Part 7

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

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Part Seven

I spent the entire evening cleaning the kitchen and the mess that I had forced Kagome to leave behind. I kept trying to justify my actions, but as I kept replaying those moments over and over again in my mind, I knew that I was in the wrong. Kagome hid her relationship with Inuyasha from me because she didn't want to hurt me. What did I do when I found out she was seeing someone? I forced her out of my life.

I scrubbed my bowl with a vigor I didn't know that I possessed. Had I really become that bad? Had I really pushed myself to the point of relationship depression where my own flesh and blood couldn't even tell me about their relationships?

I wasn't a bad person.

I was a wounded person.

I was so wounded, that people were constantly tiptoeing around me, and I never even knew it. What kind of life is that? Not the life that I had imagined. It is not easy getting over Bob. I still feel a little hole in my heart, and I still see that blood.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Now it was dripping because of what I had said to my sister. I had never _ever_ done something like that before, and at that moment, I had to make things right. Now could I not? She was happy with Inuyasha, wasn't she? Shouldn't I make it so that she could talk to me about him?

I scrubbed everything in that kitchen until it was sparkling as my heart bled out and as I tried to think of a way to make things right. I decided that I would make her favorite muffins: Chocolate Death. I would make them, and I would go to her apartment, and I would knock the door down if I had to, but I had to apologize for how childish I was.

I started grabbing everything out of the cabinets that was chocolate. And set them on the counter. Gardellichocolate chips. Exhalent. I needed the best this time.

As I started to cook them, I wondered what Inuyasha would be like. Tall, dark, and handsome. That was the kind of guy that Kagome always went for without fail…and even then he had to be someone that really set him apart from the rest. I wondered what it would be: brains or beauty. Maybe it was both.

How long had they been dating for? Well…long enough for Kagome to be comfortable about him liking things off of her body. That made me wonder how close the two were. There was a sparkle in her eyes when she spoke of him, so he had to be someone special.

Was he funny? Would he make her laugh? Would he be witty? Sarcastic? Cunning?

How did they meet? Was it one of those situations where one ran into the other and Kagome or Inuyasha dropped…a basket of laundry? Then when everything was stuffed back into the basket, they started talking. One wanted to pay the other back for the inconvenience, so they went to lunch. Lunch turned into diner. Diner turned into after diner drinks. Then brunch the next day, followed by another diner.

It didn't really matter what had happened, or how they had met, but I needed to talk to her.

I cleaned my kitchen while they baked, and then I pulled my phone from my pocket. I bit my lip as I stared at it, but I knew what I had to do. I flipped it open and dialed.

* * *

A/n: KIKYO IS NOT HEARTLESS! I just thought that I would say that after he horrible reaction. Here is my quick explanation as to why she blew up in the last chapter: she and Kagome talk about EVERYTHING. They have no secrets. Kagome kept a secret. Kikyo is now pissed, but realized that she is a bitch for acting like that. Anyways…more chapters to come tomorrow! Thanks so much to all who are still reading this! You don't know how good that makes me feel to know that you won't go away just cause it's Kikyo. She really does have a bad rep. Much love to everyone, and to Die Die who helped me edit the first six chapters (which I still have to fix here). Kisses to you and glad to see you again!


	8. Part 8

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Eight

"Hello?"

The voice that answered was rough and raw from sleep, but it was not the voice of my sister. It was too masculine.

"Who is this?" I asked.

"I don't give my name unless I know who you are, and what you want. Now, who are you?"

"I'm Kikyo: Kagome's sister," I replied slightly taken aback by the man on the phone.

I heard a voice in the background. It was my sister.

"Go back to sleep muffin," he whispered to her. "I'll be back in a moment, don't worry." There was silence and I heard a door close. I was assuming that this was Inuyasha, and that he had left the room to give my sister as much peace as he could.

"You have a lot of nerve calling here," he hissed into the phone, the venom dripping from his words. "Do you have any idea how hurt Kagome was when I came home?"

"Yes."

"Do you have _any_ idea how much she cried, and how she kept saying over and over again that she thought that she was doing the right thing?"

"I—"

"And then you call her at _this hour_, after she _cried_ herself to sleep."

"Bu—"

"The only, and I mean _only_ reason that you should be trying to call her right now is because you want to apologize for what you did after she tried to keep you happy. She was taking your feelings into consideration," he barked. I was in a different building, but I could still feel the rage in his voice and I could tell that it was radiating off of his very being.

"Can I—"

"What, talk to her?"

"Yes."

"Call back in the morning."

I heard a dial tone. He hung up on me, though he had every right to. I bit my lip and stared at the phone.

Well, at least he was protective of her. That was a good thing.

I washed my dishes, and put them away. The big silver bowl goes in the top cabinet. Sometimes I have to stand on a chair to reach it. This time, though, I opened the cabinet, and I immediately knew I couldn't reach it. I was wearing flats. I just put the bowl on the counter and looked around the kitchen one last time. The timer was going to ding in fifteen minutes. As I stood there waiting, doing nothing, the conversation I had had that night with my sister kept coming back to me. Inuyasha was right. I really was being selfish and heartless.

* * *

A/N: Ouch…that stung for Kikyo…anyways…thank you so much to Dei Dei (I spelled you name right this time…three times charm) and to Silver Dog of the Snow who pointed out boo boo's. Don't fear pointing them out! I like hearing the bad as much as the good! Much love to those who are reading this, and reviewing! Huggles, and more to come tomorrow!


	9. Part 9

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Chapter 9

The next day, Saturday, I went over to Kagome's. I had a basket full of chocolate death and more guilt then I knew what to do with. I couldn't face her…and God only knows who would answer the door. I didn't really feel like dealing with an angry Inuyasha right now. I hung the basket on the doorknob, and left before anyone knew what I had done.

I left a little note in the basket with a singe word. Sorry.

Saturday was a slower day this week, or maybe it just felt slower. The clock seemed to just keep on ticking and ticking, but never reached the closing hours. I kept checking my cell to see if Kagome would call me, but no. I didn't receive a single call from her.

"You know," Mr. Simon said on his way out that day, "if I didn't know better, I would say that something is bothering you."

"What do you mean?" I asked as I washed the cases from fingerprints.

"You might think that I am not as sharp as I once was, but I have news for you missy. I am just as keen as I was twenty or thirty years ago. I know when someone is hurting."

"Well, I thank you for your concern Mr. Simon, but I am fine."

"Poppy cock."

I giggled at that.

"Why don't you just tell me what's wrong. You got nothing better to do, and I have seen you clean those cases five other times today."

"They get smudged easily," I defended, but his knowing eye was a tad too knowing. "There is not too much to tell."

"Then humor this old bag of bones and tell anyway," he urged. "Even nothing, is worth something."

I went with him to a table in the back with two cups of coffee and his favorite muffin.

"If I am going to bore you to death," I teased, "I might as well give you some coffee."

"Darling, that is—"

"I know," I cut off, "but it will make me feel better."

He gave me a look that indicated that he knew better again, but said nothing else.

"I…" I swallowed. I was suddenly afraid to speak, but the encouragement that I saw in his eyes was enough to spur me on. "Have always been very close with my sister. She is only a year younger then me you know. Normally with that age difference, we should be trying to rip each other's hair out, but we never have. We are like twins without the same birthday. We…got into a fight yesterday. She is seeing someone and probably has been for a long time but…she never told me. We tell each other _everything_, but she didn't tell me this."

"And why do you think she did that?"

"She was trying to protect me from myself."

I could tell that he wanted to ask more, but he knew that I wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

"hn…and have you tried talking to you sister yet?"

"I called her apartment yesterday, but her new boyfriend answered and wouldn't let me. I dropped off a batch of muffins this morning too, but I still haven't heard from her."

"Give it time darling. If you to are as close as you say, she will call you when she is ready.

Mr. Simon left after a more lighthearted conversation and he had finished off his coffee and muffin. He really was a sweet man.

My White Rose never came that day, but in the end, I didn't care.

Kagome called.

* * *

A/N: Olive branch, or something else? We'll find out tomorrow! Thanks those who read, and even more so to my reviewers! Much love, and keep reading!


	10. Part 10

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Ten

My White Rose came in on Sunday. He looked weary and tiered with big, dark circles under his eyes, but he was still rather pleasant.

"Coffee. Black."

"To stay or to go."

"To go."

It was strange. He didn't get another coffee or a muffin. I didn't think much of it. I was still feeling like crap over what happened with my sister. She called me up last night to tell me that she broke it off with Inuyasha. She didn't want anything to come between us, and that if she had to choose between the two of them, she would choose me. She was furious with the way he treated me.

I felt like even more of an ass then before.

My White Rose was my last customer. I had to go over to Kagome's and make things right.

I cleaned up, locked up, and closed everything. I grabbed my subway metro card, and soon, I was standing in front of Kagome's apartment. I raised my hand and knocked.

"Kagome," I called. "Kagome, we need to talk."

I heard shuffling and the door opened to reveal a red eyed and faced woman. She looked nothing like the sister I grew up with.

"Oh Kagome…what did you do?"

She leaped up to me and wrapped her arms around me. I thought that she would never let go.

"I'm so sorry I never told you," she hiccupped through her sobs. "And I'm sorry he talked to you like that."

"Sh…" I whispered, rubbing her back, "don't say that…"

"But I am! I never should have kept it from you. We…we share _everything_," she chocked as I helped her back into her apartment and led her over to her couch.

"You had every right to keep it from me," I whispered to her as I leaned her head on my breast, still rubbing her back. "You were trying to protect me, and I hurt you. I am the one who is sorry Kagome. I deserved everything I got. Please…forgive me."

She kept sobbing into my shirt, wetting it completely.

"I missed you," she lamented, "and I miss Inuyasha."

"Oh, Kaggie, tell me that you didn't really break up with him."

She looked away from me, a whimper caught in her throat.

"I just wanted you back, and he was…was…I thought it was the right thing to do. And…and we have only been dating for three months."

I was a monster.

Three months was the longest Kagome had ever dated someone for. She had a bad first relationship. Her boyfriend, who she was head over heals with months before the relationship began, was two-timing her or with her. She was his girlfriend on the side. After that, she wouldn't let herself get attached to anyone male in a relationship other then friendship. She never dated. She was like me without the dead fiancé.

"We are getting you cleaned up."

"What? Why?" she sniffled.

"You are a mess, and you wouldn't want Inuyasha to see you like that," I told her as I went over to her bathroom and started the shower. I made sure that it was hot.

"Why is he going to see me? Kikyo? What are you doing?"

I pulled her up and marched her over to her bathroom and threw her into her shower, not caring if her pajamas got wet or not. I ignored her started little scream and yelp from the temperature of the water. She looked like crap. She needed this.

"Clean yourself, and come out after you have."

I had things to do in that giant of a closet she owned. I needed to find something that said, 'I'm sorry, I want you back. Please, forgive me.' It had to be somewhat dressy too though, and there it was: the perfect little black dress.

I found her phone and looked through her contacts.

Perfect. She still had his number, but I didn't want to call him yet.

I ran down to management, phone still in hand, and pulled a few strings.

Now all I had to do was text him to meet Kagome.

_I need to talk to you. Please. Meet me on the top of my apartment roof in two hours. _

"I'm out Kikyo."

She looked better.

"Good. Do your hair. You don't have much time."

"Time? Kikyo, what are you talking about?"

"You will see," I told her as I ushered her back into the bathroom. "We're getting your man back."

Her phone vibrated. A text.

_Why?_ It read.

_Meet me and I will tell you._

I sent it.

I was walking out the door when it rang again.

_Ok. Two hours, but you got fifteen minutes to explain when I get there._

Fifteen huh? I had a lot of work to do.

After I worked my magic and prepared everything that I could, I found Kagome sitting on her bed in nothing but a towel and straight hair with only twenty minutes until she had to be on the roof.

"What are you doing!" I screeched.

"Kikyo…he will never take me back. This is stupid!"

"Don't think like that," I cooed, rushing over to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "He will want you back. I'm sure of it, and if he doesn't, then he isn't worth your tears."

She smiled and finally got dressed and put on makeup while I hunted down the perfect pearl necklace. I draped it around her neck, and then stepped back to admire my work. I did a good job putting that outfit together. The dress was classy, but clung to her almost like it was spray painted on, and the pearls just helped to tie everything together. Once her strapy shoes were on, I ushered her up to her roof, and told her to call me in the morning.

There were two elevators in her building. I took one down. Inuyasha took the other up.

* * *

A/n: And now things are better…yay! No new chapter tomorrow…I got a tad behind because of homework and I couldn't keep up with my "quota". In theory…I have more chapters…but this one was longer, and I like to stay a few chapters ahead just so that I don't get to be 6 months behind (like I was with another story). Thanks to those who R and R-ed! Much love to you!


	11. Part 11

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Eleven

"I can't believe how stupid I was to almost let him go," Kagome told me when she walked into my café bright and early.

"I take it everything went well last night?"

"Well…I didn't get off Scott free, nor did he, but I still have _my_ Inuyasha. Do you know how good it feels to say _my_ Inuyasha?"

"I have a fairly decent idea, yes," I replied. I wasn't about to tell her that that's exactly how I felt when I was with Joe.

"How did you manage to do it Kikyo? Everything was perfect when I got there. Lights, food, the dress…everything!"

"I had a bit of help with the lights," I told her. In all the time that Kagome had lived in her apartment, not once had she ever really been on her roof. I went up there more often then she did. Her roof was almost like a tiny central park, but with more bushes and less trees. There were still some trees…but that was besides the point. They keep Christmas lights up a good portion of the time: I just had to run and buy the white Chinese lanterns to stick in the trees. The food was easy too. A good, cheep Italian place that Kagome loves to go to, some red wine, and some of the blueberry scones she had yet to bake. I thought that something hand made by Kagome would be a good addition. Throw that on top of the glass table and a few white candles, which I also bought, and presto! Instant romantic setting in the middle of good ol' Manahatta.

"I don't care how you did it, but you did, and I am so very thankful. Kikyo, you have no idea how wonderful he is! I have so many different things that I want to tell you about him, but I don't want to be late for work."

"Stop by after and then we can talk about him, ok?"

"I will!" she called on her way out the door, coffee and scone in hand.

I could see Mr. Simon looking at me out of the corner of his eye, and I knew that I had to go over to him and talk once I finished up with the next few customers that walked through the door. I was just putting the change into the cash register when I heard the door open, and my White Rose came in…only…he didn't look like my White Rose. He was wearing a suit and tie. His hair was cropped and slicked back. There was no laptop on his person, just a large briefcase.

"Coffee and a blueberry scone." He looked…good this way. Really good. Older even. I was surprised to see him like this, but I summed it up as a meeting with a publisher or something. After getting over my shock, I suddenly realized that this would be the perfect time to come up with some witty remark. Something flirtatious. Something that showed that I had taken an interest in him, yet wasn't too strong or blatant.

His phone rang and the moment was gone.

He flipped it open while I got him his coffee and his scone, and he laughed at whatever the text said. He speedily paid me with another ten and left.

This day was too odd for me. My sister and Inuyasha, my White Rose coming in on a _Monday_ and in a _suit and tie_…something was bound to happen.

I felt a little bewildered by our interaction today, but again, I chose to ignore it. After all…curiosity killed the cat.

I walked over to Mr. Simon and sat down, another cup of coffee and a muffin for him.

"It's on the house," I said, and he smiled.

"Well, what do I owe this pleasant surprise too? You coming to me for once instead of me coming to you?"

"It has been a rather strange day."

Mr. Simon nodded and swirled his coffee as if it were a fine wine, sipping some of it before putting the cup down and letting the feel of it seep into his hands.

"I take it that everything with your sister worked out."

"Oh, yes. I can't believe how big an ass I was."

"Watch that mouth of yours young lady. I am known to scrub out dirty ones with soap."

I laughed. It was good to sit with Mr. Simon and joke around and just talk about everything.

He became my second constant that day.

* * *

A/N: YAY! Inu and Kag are together again. I needed a quick break from writing this, and now I feel aaaaaaaall better. I should be posting once a day again, but if I don't, then it will be coming in the next few days! I wanna try and wrap this guy up before the end of the school year, and I have 20 more school days left. You may begin placing bets now :-P. Thank you so much to everyone that has read and reviewed! It means the world to me! Now then…keep reading (and throw a review in there too :-P).


	12. Part 12

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Twelve

True to her word, Kagome came here as soon as work was over. I talked the day away with Mr. Simon, and I was so engrossed in conversation with him that I was startled whenever the door opened. Kagome was no exception.

"Kikyo!" she cried, running over to me and wrapping her arms around me. Her heels clacked loudly on the slate floor.

"Hey," I told her getting up from my place before Mr. Simon.

"Well, my dear, I think that I had better be off," Mr. Simon informed me as he rose to is feet.

"Alright," I told him after a brief introduction to my sister and my sister to him. I gathered up his cup and plate, taking them to the kitchen and filling them with water. It was late now, so I knew that I had to close up shop. I walked to the front and locked the door and turned off the lights.

"Do you need help with anything?" Kagome asked. She was always doing stuff like that: looking out for others. She used to do so much for me when the place first opened, or when it was being built.

"Looking like that?" I gestured to her suit.

"I can do the dishes while you get the floor."

"Deal."

She went back and started scrubbing plates and cups while I washed down all of the tables lifted the chairs on top of said tables, and started to mop. When Kagome was done and the dishwasher was loaded, I could hear her walk over to the entrance of the kitchen and look over at me. I looked behind at her and raised my brow.

"Well?" I prompted. "When are you going to tell me about him! How did you two meet?"

I saw her bite her lip and run a hand through her hair.

"I don't think that you want to hear that story Kikyo," she whispered quietly.

I stopped mopping at her tone.

"Why not."

"Because it's not a story worth telling."

I saw a truth in her eyes that I didn't want to see there.

"Oh God…what happened?"

"Nothing—"

"Something happened."

"Please don't make me tell you what," she begged, "please Kikyo…you don't want to hear it."

"Kagome, tell me what happened."

She sighed and I could tell that she didn't have it in her to fight me off, especially with what had just happened to her with Inuyasha and me.

"I was about six blocks away from here," she began ever so slowly, "when I met him. I was on my way over when I felt a tug on my shoulder, and I saw a guy making off with my purse. I took off after him, and got hold of the bag in an alley. I refused to let go. The mugger pushed me back, and I hit my head on the brick wall behind me."

"Oh, Kagome," I whispered, tears springing to my eyes as memories of the night Joe died flashed before my eyes.

"Suddenly, this guy came out of no where and shoved him away from me and my purse. I got behind him, and the mugger hit him in the shoulder, but Inuyasha went after him. A good sharp punch to the stomach knocked the air out of him, and left him off of my case. Inuyasha walked me to his place and put some ice on my head to help with the swelling. I thanked him, and he told me not to worry about it. I asked him if there was anything that I could do to repay him, but he claimed that there wasn't. I insisted though that I do something," she paused and smiled. It was her smile. The one that she reserved for only the times that she was really happy.

"So what happened next?"

"I told him that if he didn't want me to repay him, that he should at least let me cook him dinner as a thank you. That is why I wanted to go through your recipes that one day. We had our 'first date' the next day, and after that we had another date, and another, and another until we just said that we should go for it and we have been a couple ever since."

I was silent as I mulled things over in my mind. Times from when I saw Joe last were still fresh because of Kagome's story, but I was happy. My sister would get the ending that I never did, with any luck, and I felt as if the world had been righted.

"I am happy for you. Really."

Kagome light heartedly laughed, and then said the one thing that sent shivers up my spine.

"Now we have to find _you_ another man so that we can double date."

* * *

A/N: Nope…not a cliff hanger. Don't know what you're talking about. Now then…who saw how they met coming? I left a very obvious hint in the story a few chapters back. Things get interesting in the next chapter…and that is all I will say. Sorry that I didn't post yesterday, but I went to my last high school play. It was on the plague. You tell me how it was. Thanks for all of the love and the reviews! I really appreciate it! Keep reading!


	13. Part 13

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Thirteen

I woke up the next day with Kagome's words still ringing clear in my mind.

"_Now we have to find _you_ another man so that we can double date."_

I had already found another man: my White Rose. I felt so comfortable and at ease in his presence: how could we not be perfect for one another? I could already see us in a relationship, and just doing little mundane everyday things. I could hear his whisper in my ear, the breath tickling the edge of it, as he made witty comments about everything and anything. I could see him living here with me, coming down from my apartment to wait for me to make a fresh blueberry scone and coffee while he read the morning paper.

"Huh," he would say. "Did you know that they are thinking about searching for the carcass of Nessie? They think that she might have died. I wonder what could have given them that conclusion, given the fact that she has been alive longer then some humans."

He would bite into his scone then when I gave it to him, fresh and hot. He would kiss me ever so sweetly, thanking me for the scone. He would then pull out his laptop, and write numerous odes to me.

It was so easy for me to become lost in this daydream that soon, it was like I was perpetually living in it. He was always there, though I knew that he wasn't, but by living in these dreams, it made my week go faster until I could spend four and a half minutes interacting with him on Saturday and Sunday.

When Saturday did finally arrive, and when he did finally walk through the door, I was once again taken aback by his appearance. His hair was longer and messier then it was on Monday, and he was wearing very casual clothing once again. There was no laptop on his person though, so I knew that he wouldn't be here for long.

"Two coffees," he began, "and two blueberry scones."

"To stay or to go?"

"To go."

I had half a mind to ask whom the other coffee and scone were for. I'm the jealous type. I always have been. Not once when he stayed here did he ever get another coffee or scone, so there had to be someone else. If he was bringing this to another woman, I knew that I would have to rectify the situation before it got out of hand.

I gave him his coffees and his scones, and he paid me and left.

I spent the rest of the day with my imaginary version of my White Rose, and I couldn't have been happier.

"Kikyo, deary, is something the matter?"

Mr. Simon had been watching me closer then usual this last week, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why.

"No," I said. "I'm fine. Why are you asking?"

"You seem a tad bit off balance today is all," he soothed. "Like your head was in the clouds. I was wondering if something had happened to you is all."

"No…I am absolutely wonderful," I practically sighed, pretending that my White Rose was saying something completely and totally intelligent, but something that I couldn't understand. Something about trigonometry and triangles. His voice was like liquid desire in my mind, and I was practically melting into his embrace.

Mr. Simon looked skeptical, but he wished me well and took off.

I went about making another batch of hunky chunky banana when suddenly my White Rose began to murmur business into my ear.

"It is almost wintertime," he purred. "Why not add on something else to the hot drink section. Hot chocolate is always a peoples favorite."

"And you think that people will like the new option and that it will bring in more profits."

"Not only that," he told me as he began to massage my shoulders, bringing my back against his hard chest, "but you can customize it too. Extra chocolate hot chocolate. Pumpkin hot chocolate. Cinnamon. Peppermint. You could do just about anything."

"Mn…you're right," I moaned.

"Kikyo, are you ok?"

My eyes snapped open to look at my sister. My White Rose was gone. I could feel my face heat as she rushed over to me in concern.

"Are you getting sick?" she asked, raising a hand to feel my temperature.

"No…I'm fine."

"You feel hot, and you look flushed."

"Really Kagome," I insisted. "I'm fine."

"I don't know…maybe you should take tomorrow off."

"No!" I shouted.

"Why not? What if you really _are_ sick?"

"I…I can take Monday off, but not Sunday."

"Kikyo…why not?"

I bit my lip and looked away from her

"I just…can't. I'll do any day but Sunday. You…you know how you said that we needed to find someone for me to date? Well…I …I think that I found someone."

Her eyes widened and she started to squeal.

"Tell me everything you know about him."

* * *

A/n: See? It's possible for me to update two days in a row :D. Anyways…I'm hoping that from here out it will be more interesting. Thanks to those that have reviewed! Much love to ya! Keep R and R-ing!


	14. Part 14

Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Fourteen

I felt doomed.

I love my sister, I really do, but in that moment, I felt a doom wash over me, and I had a feeling that it was because of my daydreams…yet…they were more then that now. Then again, the fact that I was imagining him here with me at every possible moment was not a good thing. I didn't know when it had started, but during that last week, I could see him. Feel him. Reach out and touch him. I knew nothing about my White Rose too. How could I tell my sister everything about him, when I knew nothing?

"There is not much to tell."

"You can start by explaining to me why you are refusing to take off tomorrow. Does he come in on Sundays?" she asked eagerly. This was the first man that I have truly been interested in since Bob's death. He is the cause that for the first time in two years, the bleeding in my heart has slowed. Of course Kagome is happy.

"He comes in on Sundays and Saturdays."

"Every week?"

"Without fail, more or less. There have been a few times that he didn't come in on a Saturday or a Sunday, but he has always come at least once a week."

"What else do you know about him? What does get?"

"A blueberry scone and coffee."

"I like his taste in food," Kagome giggled. She would like his taste: Kagome was now the Queen of blueberry scones. "And you really like this guy?"

I bit my lip and slowly nodded.

"And you've never talked to him? About anything other then food?"

I shook my head.

"I see…" she pondered. I knew the look on her face. It was a look that said 'I have a plan and you can do nothing about it.' I hate that look. Things never ended well for me when she got that look.

"Kikyo…"

"No."

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"I don't care. I won't do it."

"You don't know what I was going to ask!"

"And I don't want to either."

"Kikyo…"

"No."

"You're closing up for the day."

"I still have a half hour till closing time," I complained as she marched over to the front door and flipped the open sign to the side that read "closed".

"Kagome, I'm not closing for another half hour."

"You can afford the loss of a half hour," she firmly informed me, dragging me away from my humble business to my apartment. "Right now, we have less then twenty-four hours to snag us a man."

* * *

A/N: Oh no…is she gonna do what I think she's gonna do? Well…then again…I write what I think, and I already wrote it :-P.

That…and I don't want it to drag out. The plot is thickening thought…I can taste it!

I realize now that not everyone got why **_I _**thought that part 13 was going to be interesting…so I will clarify something, and then when I have time, I am going to work on making it clearer. Kikyo starts out just daydreaming about WR, just as a way to pass time, but as the week goes on, the dreams intensify to the point that she is obsessing and having hallucinations. I will go back and work on that a bit more…or try and make that a bit clearer. Sorry if you didn't catch that! I hope that the start of this chapter helped some though. I won't lie…I am being slightly influenced by Fight Club and Grey's Anatomy for that aspect.

I also just realized that after all this time…I had it so that if you didn't have an account, you couldn't review. That answers a lot of questions for me. But…now that this has been rectified, you have NO EXCUSE TO NOT REVIEW, so review!

Thank you so much to all who have R &R-ed! It means a lot!


	15. Part 15

Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Fifteen

It was raining on Sunday: a complete and total contradiction to the causal first date outfit that Kagome had thrown together for me. I was adorned with black stockings, flirty black dress, peacock feathers and silver chains. I thought that she was nuts at first for putting together what she did, but I should have known better then to doubt my sister's ability to doll a girl up. I had thought that Kagome was going to stay all day and wait to see who my White Rose was, but she didn't. She said that she wanted to surprise Inuyasha with dinner, and to do that, she had a lot of shopping and cooking to do. She did spend a good portion of her morning getting me ready. When we were just finishing applying the finally touches of make up, I looked at myself in the mirror and was taken aback at how beautiful I looked.

A glimmer of hope shined faintly in the distance, and I couldn't wait for my White Rose to come.

The plan was simple: when he came in, ordered his coffee and scone, I would wait. There would come to be a time where most people left, and then I would bring him a free coffee and scone we would start talking from there, and then just let things naturally progress. The way to any man's heart was through the stomach after all. Kagome was a firm believer of that now, especially after how she and Inuyasha got started.

The rain that day set an eerie tone. It made everything seem raw and dark. I kept myself busy with cooking and filling peoples' orders. The place was filled with sweet scents regardless of the outside, and it only drew in more people.

I saw Mr. Simon slowly come in out of the rain and helped him with his sodden jacket. I put it on a rack, and got him his order. I then started to mop up the pool of water that had started to form.

"Busy day, eh?" Mr. Simon commented.

"Yes…but I can use it."

"It's terrible weather out there. I would advise staying inside today." I knew that he was referring to the fact that I was more put together then usual.

"Don't worry Mr. Simon," I soothed. "I plan on staying in all day."

He grunted something, and I got back to work.

The rain held up all day, but business started to slow at night and people left until only Mr. Simon was left. The door to one last customer slowly opened, letting in the rain. I looked up washing down a table, and there I saw my drenched White Rose. He was a sight for sore and hungry eyes. He was holding an umbrella, but it clearly didn't do him much good. His clothing clung to him, and I loved the fact that his shirt should have been ivory, had it not been raining.

"It's terrible weather we're having," he commented to no one in particular. "I'm hoping that it will let up soon."

I felt my throat clog up as I tried to see what was real and what was not. Trying to decide if that really was him in front of me. I didn't say a thing until Mr. Simon cleared his throat. My face heated dramatically, and I asked him what he wanted.

"Coffee and a blueberry scone."

"To stay or to go?"

He raised his eyebrow at me, indicating that he thought that was a pretty pointless question given what he had just said.

"Right…to stay," I mumbled.

I bit the inside of my cheek as I tried to think of something to say to him…something other the business or the weather. Finally, I said the most embarrassing thing I could possibly think of.

"Want me to put your clothes in the dryer?"

* * *

A/N: The late update…yes…I know…very late…but this is why: It was my brother's birthday on Friday. My sister came in town on Saturday. I took my sister to the hospital on Sunday. My dad is having open-heart surgery on Tuesday. I have had several tests sprinkled in between. I think that I am justified this once. I needed to post something to let everyone know that I care, but don't expect another chapter until at least Saturday. I'm sorry…but this is a time in my life when there is something more important then writing. I hope that everyone understands, and that they won't give up hope on me and the story. Thank you so much to everyone that R and R-ed. Reviews are needed now more then ever to keep sprits up! No AR's this time…I made you wait long enough. I will just do them all…when I can. Thanks to Goofy Goober for editing!


	16. Part 16

Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Sixteen

"Excuse me?"

I felt my cheeks burn up in embracement, and my tongue suddenly felt thick and heavy in my mouth. I was almost sure that I heard the spray of Mr. Simon's coffee behind the roaring in my ears from the blood rushing past them.

"Did you just ask if you could put my cloths in a dryer?"

"I…well…you're wet."

"You didn't offer to do that for me," grumbled Mr. Simon.

I only felt my cheeks heat more.

"I…think that I will make that coffee to go, actually. It's only a little bit of rain."

I found my eyes searching for the windows, only to find what looked like a monsoon ripping through Manhattan. Rain was rushing down awnings in tidal waves that swept the streets clean and filled the gutters with both water and trash.

I felt like I was being treated like I was one of those pieces of trash. I felt my heart being carried of by the rain when he left, abandoned to drift down the street as I may. Abandoned and lost.

The door slowly closed behind him, and I could feel Mr. Simon's gaze on my form. I silently begged him not to say a thing as I took the now dirty coffee cup to the sink in the back. I put soap into it, and slowly began washing it. Swirling the soap around.

Swirling. Swirling. Swirling.

My mind was doing the same thing. Spinning. Whirling. Swirling.

I had been a fool to say something like that to him. It sounded too presumptuous, and he reacted in the way only proper for a decent man. He didn't say anything so that he wouldn't further cause me discomfort, something that caused me some relief. He didn't argue or verbal attach me. He just simply left.

I picked up a towel and hand dried the cup. I didn't feel like putting it in the dishwasher. It was too mechanical: there was no human touch to it. When you hand dried something…it made it seem more personal. Like…there was a homely, comforting feeling to the cup. I liked that for this one. It had been cast aside by my White Rose, and left there by itself. Abandoned and lost. Just like me.

I didn't know why I was feeling this way…it wasn't…I had no right to feel this way, yet my shoulders trembled all the same. I couldn't stop the trembling. I couldn't stop myself from thinking that I had made a major mistake. I should have stayed silent. I never should have said something to him. I should have just let him talk to Mr. Simon. I shouldn't feel this way…and I shouldn't feel like my heart was just crushed by the one I loved.

The one I love is dead. Dead! He has been dead! For two years! This man is not the man that _I_ love. He…he can't be…he just can't.

I felt my knees begin to tremble, and I slipped to the floor, all the while thinking that I didn't love him.

Someone wrapped old and wrinkled arms around my upper body to help stop the trembling. We swayed and my tears eventually slowed.

I was a fool.

I should have never spoken with him.

We rocked.

I regretted.

I'm still that same fool.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry…but I haven't really been in the online mood lately, and there is a lot of stuff going on. My dad's surgery went well, and I have been spending a lot of my free time over there with him, but I should hopefully be able to do more of the writing thing since everything is getting better with him. Five more days of school before I get a week break, and then I have one more day, and then graduation! Whoo hoo! I am putting off most AR's until the week break I was talking about, but I swear you will get them! Just give me time…I'm not a machine.

Thank you so much for all of your support with my dad and otherwise! I lub ya all for it, and it really meant a lot to me! Thanks for the reviews, and keep R and R-ing! (Now I have e-mails to get to…)


	17. Part 17

Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Seventeen

I didn't want to leave bed on Monday. There was no point in doing so. I just wanted to lay there and hope that the numbness that I felt in my heart would dim into nothing. Bed was warm and comfortable. It was something that I could trust. It was soft. The sheets were like blankets of comfort that wrapped around me and kept me protected from the world. My pillow was like a motionless lover that held my head on his chest as he tried to make everything bad disappear.

After I closed the café yesterday, I went up to my apartment and showered in very, very hot water before I went to bed. I did not plan on opening shop today. I thought about going down and writing a note to stick on the front door:

CLOSED FOR THE DAY.

OWNER SICK.

I couldn't do that though. People would get the idea when they tried the door and saw that it wouldn't open. My phone rang a lot, and I was sure that it was Kagome checking on me. She could wait…I just needed to be alone that day.

Eventually, I pulled myself out of bed and down to the kitchen. If I had known what I was going to make, I never would have gone. I found hot chocolate warming my hands, but I refused to drink it.

"It would be a great business venture," my White Rose cooed out of nowhere.

I turned around, thinking that I would see him there, but I saw nothing.

"People like variety."

Was I going mad?

"Hot chocolate would give them something else to choose from other then coffee."

"Please," I whimpered out to no one. "Haven't I made a fool of myself already? What more do you want from me?"

"But darling," his voice purred, and I felt two arm's wrap around my waist and his breath tickled my ear. "How can I think that you're a fool when I love you?"

I spun around and flung my drink at nothing, leaving only a chocolaty mess for me to clean up. My hands began shaking as I looked down at the brown puddle at my feet.

This was madness. I was going crazy.

I could feel my eyes begin to sting once more.

"What is wrong with me?"

My voice didn't sound like mine. It sounded hoarse, just like it did when Joe died.

"If only you were here now," I whispered brokenly. "If only I could hold you one last time. I miss you so much. So much that I have lost my mind."

I cried myself to sleep on my kitchen floor. I didn't wake up again until I felt a cold compress on my forehead. Slowly, I opened my eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am your sister...I knew that you needed me. You haven't been answering any of my calls, and I was worried. Turns out, I had every right to be worried too. Kikyo…what happened to you?"

"I drank hot chocolate?"

"And then spit it out? And fell asleep on the floor?"

"Kaggie…please…"

"Don't 'Kaggie' me! What happened? Kikyo…this is so unlike you."

"I…" I looked away from her. I knew that I couldn't tell her what happened with my White Rose. I was her older sister. I was someone she looked up to. I never made blunders like the one from yesterday…and I never have…_images_ of people I don't know.

"Forget it," she whispered pulling me up to my feet. "I'm here, and I'm going to make sure that you pull yourself back together."

I had the best sister in the world.

I wish I could say that now.

* * *

A/N: PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! I SWAER THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO POST EVERYDAY AGAIN!!!! And I _will_ get to the AR's! Just be patient with me! Life has been hectic with my dad, and my sister, and graduation…but now that things have cooled off, I can get back to writing and posting everyday, I swear! Thank you to everyone that has read and reviewed up to this point! It means a lot to me :D. I am starting to post this story on wordpress, and for those of you that have read WR and are a member of the home page site thing, I think that I am gonna move it to there to. Here are links:

http://the café in manahatta. Wordpress .com

http://white rose 2009. wordpress .com/

(Take out the spaces) Opinions on sites? You can't read White Rose because it is password protected…but if you want to, you need to review and ask me for the password.

On that note…

PLEASE REVIEW TO SHOW ME YOU STILL CARE (…or something like that…)


	18. Part 18

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Eighteen

I stood under the hot water and let it burn. It burned everything away. The fear. The insanity. The pain. Everything, and it felt good. It felt…relaxing. I felt like when I burnt, things would get better.

The phoenix. I was reminded of it, in a weird way. Everyone knows its story, and if you didn't, well…then you have definitely never read a Harry Potter book. Me? I read them…but I knew of the phoenix from before JK.

"Kikyo?"

Kagome had dragged me back up here and threw me into the shower, just like I had thrown her in that one time. This shower was just as scorching as hers was. I was sure of it. I liked the scorching though. I welcomed it.

"Kikyo…is everything alright? You've been in there for an hour."

An hour…somehow I wasn't surprised. My fingers were pruned, and I had just been standing under the water for God only knows how long. Apparently, an hour according to Kagome.

"I'm fine," I called out to her, finally summoning the energy needed to turn off the water.

I could tell that the lack of water flowing from the showerhead was suddenly a very good thing for her to hear. I wrapped the towel around my body and slowly left the bathroom. The steam around me swirled up around me like a heavy fog, almost concealing me as I emerged from the hot bathroom. I was returning from my heaven to the world of pain I had escaped from for that brief hour.

Kagome's eyebrows jumped to her hairline.

"What is it?"

"You look like a lobster."

"You're not eating me with butter sauce."

She laughed, and I could see that she was slightly relieved.

"I would never dream of it. Then I wouldn't have a sister left, would I?"

"I guess not," I replied as I walked to my room and put on clean PJ's.

"So," Kagome started when I emerged from my room. "What happened?"

"I would rather not talk about it."

"Kikyo…it isn't like you to just…do that. I…talked it over with Inuyasha, and he agrees. I'm staying home with you tomorrow. I think that you may be sick."

"I'm not sick, and you should go into work."

She snorted at that. "You had Hot chocolate all over the floor, and you were sleeping in it. That is not the Kikyo I know. Please…don't shut me out. Tell me what is wrong if you aren't sick."

I was silent and bit my lip. I crawled onto bed and lay down with my head on my lover, and my arm over the crown of my head.

"I don't know," I finally whispered. "When I was…when I was with Bob…when I was first dating him, I never did anything that was foolish, did I?"

"Define foolish," she replied crawling onto the bed and laying down on her side, her arm propping her up so that she could look at me.

"It was raining yesterday…and I asked _him _if I could throw his clothes into a dryer."

I didn't look at Kagome. I didn't want to see her expression.

"And…what did he say?"

"Actually, I'll make that a coffee to go," I imitated.

"Oh…Kikyo."

"I messed up."

"We can fix it."

"I turned him away."

"We can get him back."

"Kagome…I asked the man to take off _everything_. He is gone."

She was silent, and I was thankful. I just wanted to lie there and think. I knew that I couldn't tell her about the images. She worried about me enough as it was.

"I think…" she began slowly, "that this wasn't really a bad thing. In fact, it is quite the opposite. I think that it shows that you are ready again, and that it a good thing."

I gave her my skeptical yeah, right, look.

"It is! Ok…so you struck out with this guy, but you know what? Screw him. You have grown, and you are ready to get back out there, and you know what? I think that asking him to do that shows that you are beyond ready."

I chuckled humorously.

"I mean it! You might not think so right now, but this guy is the best thing that has happened to you in a long time because he has brought you out of your shell, and you know what? I think that if he comes back again, that it was all meant to be, and that he is yours for the taking."

I smiled at the thought, and my stomach growled. It made sense I guess. I hadn't eaten all day.

"Well…at least someone agrees with me," Kagome teased as she rolled off of the bed. "Come on sleepy head. Let's get you some food and some internet websites. We are gonna get you to date again."

I laughed. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.

I was only fooling myself.

* * *

A/N: Ok…to clear things up…I am NOT moving the story from this site (well…thinking about it for IK…since I am starting to think that it is more Kikyo then I originally planed and less IK then I had wanted…) BUT, the website link that I gave yesterday was for if you wanna see how many chapters I have done as of right now, and if you wanna find café recipes. So far I have one for scones and one for muffins up, but if you want a specific one, let me know and I will add it to there!

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR NOT GIVING UP ON ME!

Also, let me know if I have not done an AR for you! I think that I am caught up…but my guess is that I let someone slip through the cracks, and I did NOT want for that to happen.

Thank you also to Goofy_Goober for editing this chapter! She is a great author, so go and check her out (on MM. FF name is mmlissa88).

Thank you for the reviews, and look for a new chapter tomorrow (I wrote two last night :D)!

* * *

An AR! Whoot!

To dee_1600 () :Aw…thank you! I appreciate that…I really do! I wish I could say if she has schizophrenia, but you understand why I can't without ruining things for you. All I will say is that thanks to a friend, she is diagnosed with something. The funny thing is, is that I never thought this would happen to her. I never planned it. Sometime when the chapters begin with a 2 she starts to get professional help, if that means anything to you. Thanks for the review, and keep reading!


	19. Part 19

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

I was going to kill Kagome. Not just in a teasing, tackle her and tickle her to death kill Kagome, but a slow, painful kill Kagome.

I had recovered from the incident on the floor, and now it was Saturday night. My White Rose never came by, and I was not surprised. After Kagome had ordered Chinese food and got a large bucket of chocolate ice cream, we stayed in and started looking for every dating website out there. Now, I was on the worst date I had ever gone on.  
_  
_

_"Oh…but Kikyo…this one looks so promising! See? It says here that he is a doctor…_a psychiatrist! _And he loves to spend his free time in the kitchen. I'm sure that the two of you will hit it off right away!"_

I _hated _him the second I met him, and I hated him because he was too perfect. Onigumo. He was smart, funny, witty, charming, charismatic…everything I had always wanted in a man, and everything that Bob was.

His perfection astounded me, and even though he _was _perfect, I couldn't bring myself to really like him. No…instead I hated him for no good reason. I wanted out of it. I thought back to all of the conversations that I had with my friends from way back when. How did they get out of dates they hated?

One phrase rang through my mind: the cell phone.

I smiled softly, and Onigumo thought that I liked something that he had said. Did I? I'm not sure…I wasn't paying attention any more.

I excused myself for a moment to go to the restroom, and took my purse with me. I counted five minutes, and then, just as I was walking back to the table, I saw _him_. My White Rose. He was in the same restaurant and_…with another man? _

I was praying that they were related, or on a business dinner. God…let them not be a couple. That would crush me.

I would wait out this dinner, if only I could see what was going on with him. Fortunately though, our table was fairly close to his, so I could keep my eye on him.

"I'm back," I told Onigumo as I sat down. "They had wonderful lotion in the bathroom. It smells fantastic." It was true: I had spent five minutes applying it.

"Give me your hand," he replied then, and I did as he asked. He took my fingers in his grasp and brought them up to his nose and closed his eyes, inhaling ever so slightly.

"Mn…your skin smells wonderful. I only wonder what it tastes like."

I yanked my hand back, not sure how to take that comment.

"You were a bit too forward with your words for my taste, Onigumo."

"I apologize then, Kikyo. I never meant to overwhelm you."

"Thank you, Onigumo. As I have said, I would like to ease into any relationship that we might have."

"I understand."

"Thank you," I smiled, bringing the glass of wine up to my lips, while out of the corner of my eye I watched my White Rose. He was laughing at something the man had just said, and I felt a bile rise up into my throat.

Now then…don't get me wrong, I have _nothing _against gays, hell, I even have a few gay friends, but the thought of my White Rose being gay…that didn't sit well with me.

But still…the way his face was illuminated by the dim light and the laughter…it made me feel giddy inside. As I studied him though…I began to realize that his hair was slicked back again, giving him an older appearance.

"Kikyo?"

My attention snapped back to Onigumo.

"Yes?"

"I asked you if you wanted something for dessert."

I bit my lip in thought. I had made something earlier for in case if I liked my date. Onigumo was a nice guy and all, but not one that I wanted to meet up with again. Still…I had spent most of the date off at another table. He deserved something nice in return.

"Why don't we go back to my place instead? I made something over there, and I think that you might like it."

I saw the look in his eyes, so I had to clarify immediately that this was _not_ a chance for him to explore my bed.

"It would be just for cake."

His eyes dimmed ever so slightly, and I knew that he was disappointed.

"I would love to."

* * *

A/n: Almost there…my favorite chapters so far can almost be posted! Squee! Now then…I can only wonder what is gonna come of this date? Hn…

Thanks for the reviews! They mean a lot to me! And don't forget to check out…

http://the cafe in manahatta. word /

And…

http://white rose 2009. word press. com/ (You will need to ask me for a password for this one). I am redoing it, so it is worth checking out to see where it is headed.

Done plugging…R&R please!


	20. Part 20

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Twenty

"So…how did it go?"

She had said that at the end of every date so far. Four times.

"I don't think that I want to see him again."

"Why not? I thought that Hojo sounded sweet."

"And he was sweet, but he just isn't my type…and well…he seemed a little too full of himself. He had a preposterous amount of testosterone."

She giggled, and I found myself doing the same.

"You said the same thing about Koga."

"I said that if Koga was any cockier, he would have two…"

"And Miroku…"

"He never looked at my face…just lower…"

"And I still don't think that Jakotsu is gay."

"He was staring south of the border at my _shoes."_

"Fine…but we _will_ find someone for you."

I snorted.

"Sure."

She didn't press the issue.

"Alright…well…I'm off to work then since there is _nothing_ good about the date from yesterday."

"Bye!" I called as the door opened and closed.

It was a Monday now. Three weeks since the dates started. Three weeks since I had seen my White Rose in person. I was still seeing him in my mind, and it was scaring me. I never told Kagome about it, but I could still feel his ghostly touch everywhere I went. I hated it. I wanted it gone. I feared every corner of my café and apartment. I couldn't live without it.

I shook my head and went to the back to start on a new batch of scones. I took out all of the ingredients: eggs, packed brown sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, fresh blueberries, half-and-half cream, and all-purpose flour. I measured, mixed, kneaded, formed and baked until they were perfect.

"They look delicious," he purred from behind, and I ignored him. "I can't wait to bite into one, the blueberries bursting in my mouth."

I could feel him, his arms wrapping around me again.

"Please…leave me alone," I whispered as I got the platter I used for the scones in the display case. I started arranging the scones on the tray.

"But why?" he asked, his voice sounding completely crushed.

Then I heard my savior, the bell up front. Oh, how I had once loathed that bell. Now, I could not begin to imagine my life without it. It truly was a Godsend at the moment. It gave me a break from my insanity.

"Coming!" I called to the person up front as I took off my apron and quickly cleaned my hands with hand sanitizer. The chemical sent wafted up to my nose, and I found myself oddly comforted by it.

"How can I help you?" I asked as I rubbed my hands together, foolishly looking down at them.

"Can I get a coffee and a blueberry scone?"

I froze at the sound of the voice. My heart started to pump faster. Ever so slowly, I titled my head up, and my breath caught.

My White Rose was back.

* * *

A/N: :D. We are in the chapters starting with a 2! I am happy now :D. Remember to R and R please! Reviews mean a lot…especially since this is so off the beaten path I can't see it anymore!


	21. Part 21

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Twenty One

I stared at him for so long that he _must _have thought that I truly was crazy. How could he not? How could _I_ not think that I am crazy? After all I had been through as of late, I should have been second guessing what I was seeing right before me, but no. I wasn't. It was for the best, I suppose, this time around. After all, it really was him in the end.

"You look surprised to see me."

His voice brought me out of my stupor, and my cheeks heated under his gaze.

I couldn't find my voice, so all I did was nod my head. I twisted the necklace charm around my neck and bit my lip as I waited for speech to return to me. I hated the fact that I was rendered so helpless and crazy by this man. Literally crazy.

"To stay, or to go," I croaked.

"To stay."

I felt my heart jump into my throat, and I suddenly felt light headed. He wanted to stay and drink coffee, and order a scone, after I had asked him to strip for me three weeks earlier? Not strip per say, truth be told, but he certainly would not have been wearing any clothing since it would have been in my dryer.

I nodded and immediately began gathering the things for his order. The pristine white cup. The steaming of coffee. The white china saucer. The blueberry scone. I arranged everything just so, and handed it to him, and he gave me a ten in return.

"Thank you…and enjoy," I told him. He raised his eyebrow as he put his change away. This was the first time that I had said anything else in our interaction. It was rather unusual, and I was astounded by my moxie.

I watched him sit down at a table on the other side of the room, in his cozy little spot, and take out his laptop.

I could not stop myself from admiring his profile, and the way his brow furrowed in thought and concentration. I longed to go over there and see what poetry he was writing now, but I stopped myself from doing anything that would embarrass me further. Instead, I busied myself with cleaning the glass cases once again to get off all of the fingerprints and smudges.

I heard the door open again, but I didn't want to look up. What if I saw him again, even though I knew his exact location? I shuddered at the thought that from now on, every male that walked into the store was going to look like him. Yet at the same time, I was crazy enough that it was plausible.

I heard someone cough, and I slowly raised my eyes to meet their face, but they never reached their eyes.

"Kikyo?"

The man's voice…Onigumo barely registered in my mind.

"Hey, Kikyo, are you feeling alright? You look a little pale."

I must have truly been loosing my mind, for around Onigumo, in the back of my café, sitting near the large glass windows, I saw the one man I knew I could never see again: Joe.

* * *

A/n: O.o …ok…who saw that coming? Anyone? Anyone at all? If you did, then you are better at this then I am _. I know I know I know…I didn't update yesterday…but it was Papa's Day…and needless to say, we were all very happy to be able to celebrate it this year…so I kinda…took a day off. I tell you guys what…as penance…I will update twice tomorrow. Once in the morning (or afternoon depending on when I wake up for my China speech to the new seniors) and once in the evening. Don't you love it when I start to feel guilty?

Now then…THANK YOU KittyKritik FOR EDITING THIS CHAPTER! Thank you to everyone that has reviewed it too! Apparently, people like this story more then I had thought because I was notified on ED that this story has been nominated for best drama at the Feudal Association. Who would'a thought? THANK YOU TO WHOEVER NOMINATED ME (and feel free to tell me who you are to I can lavish you with giant smiley faces and internet hindered hugs).

Remember…R and R please!


	22. Part 22

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Twenty Two

"Kikyo?" Onigumo tried once more, and this time I was able to tear my eyes away from the man in the corner.

"Oni…Onigumo! What a surprise! Is there something that I can do for you?"

"I was coming by to see if you made special order cakes…but…Kikyo, are you alright? You seem a little…jumpy."

"I'm fine! Thank you…I was just a little…surprised is all."

"Are you sure?" he pressed, and I had to bite my tongue to keep from telling him the truth.

I looked over his shoulder to the man by the windows, and my entire being clenched as I watched him tenderly, lovingly pick of the white cup and bring it to his lips. He tilted it ever so slightly, and allowed the warm liquid to enter his mouth and being. He gently placed the cup back down on the table, and looked over at me, his eyes catching mine. I remember gazing into those eyes for hours on end. How they were filled with love and adoration. I could always see him…the real him…in those eyes. Those beautiful, brown eyes.

"Yes." I didn't know who I was trying to convince: him or me.

I was seeing the man I had loved more then life itself. The man who promised to give me everything, and the man I was more then willing to do the same for. A man whose being was the essence of mine. The man whose grave I slept on the first few months after the daffodils had withered into nothing.

I was not all right.

"I don't really do specialty cakes, but I would be more then willing to make an exception."

"Wonderful! It is my parents' anniversary, and believe me when I say that cannot bake. I must have tried it over a thousand times, but that is the one thing I can't seem to do."

"Well, I would love to help you. How long have they been married for?"

"Thirty years," he beamed, and I felt my entire being clench. Joe and I never even made it to the altar, let alone to the thirty-year mark.

"Thirty years…that seems like such a long time from now, doesn't it?"

"Yeah…but they say that it goes by quickly with the right person."

I smiled sadly and looked back over to the corner, but he was gone.

"I guess it can," I whispered as I suddenly felt two arms wrap around me from behind. I jumped from surprise.

"How could you cheat on me?" he whispered. My breath caught in my throat at the sound of his voice.

"So, anyways, I don't really want to take you away from your business, but I was thinking that we could meet up sometime this week to talk about the cake. Their anniversary is next week."

"That would be fine," I croaked, my throat feeling so tight with sorrow that I was amazed I could say anything at all.

He looked at me skeptically, and I already knew what he was going to say before the words even left his mouth.

"Kikyo…are you sure that you are feeling alright?"

"Yes..."

"How could you betray our love," he whispered into my ear again.

"…I'm fine."

"Well, if you say so," he replied. "It was nice seeing you again, Kikyo. I really appreciate you doing this for me."

I smiled and nodded my head, even as my white knuckled hands gripped the glass countertop, smudging up all of my handy work from earlier that day.

"How could you leave behind everything that we had?" he pressed once more, his hot breath caressing the shell of my ear with a cruel embrace.

"Onigumo! Wait!"

The man stopped, hand still poised and ready to turn the knob.

"Yes?"

"Do…do you have a business card with you?"

"I do…but…"

"Can I have one?"

He raised his eyebrow, but said nothing as he pulled out his wallet and handed me a card, his fingers brushing over mine ever so gently.

It was time that I sought help.

* * *

A/N: Help is on the way for Kikyo! I don't know about you guys…but I'm excited about that :D.

Thanks to Kittykirtik for you your editing help! Much appreciated :D.

Thanks also to everyone that has be reading and REVEWING! I would like to see more of the REVEWING aspect of things too :-P.

Another chapter will come later today, and I'll get to all AR's later too.


	23. Part 23

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Twenty Three

"…And I still can't believe that he was able to get tickets to _Wicked_ for us! I'm telling you Kikyo, Inuyasha is just…_amazing_."

My hands felt sore from gripping the table legs as tightly as I had, and I was sure that my tongue had a bruise on it. Kagome had gone on another _amazing_ date with Inuyasha. I was beginning to resent their relationship. She was off in a happy world full of love and romance, while I was here, stuck in a world pledged by pain, misery, and hallucinations of the dead. It was a sick, twisted sort of joke existing like this.

"Well, I'm glad that you had a good time, Kagome," I lied, loosening my white knuckle grip on the legs and bringing my sore hands up to warp around the hot mug of coffee I made. I continued to shift the phone on my shoulder to keep it from slipping, before giving up entirely on the venture and simply putting her on speaker. Her voice rang through out my empty apartment as she kept singing Inuyasha's praises to the world.

"…And I think that we are leading up to _it_."

I slowly blinked and brought my cup up to my lips. Have I missed something in this depressing conversation when I was wallowing in my misery of being like _this_? Crazy and alone?

"Leading up to what?"

"You know _what_."

I furrowed my brow as I paid closer attention to her tone. There was something being implied here…something that I couldn't seem to grasp.

"Kagome, what are you talking about?"

"Well…with the way things have been ending on the last few dates, the fooling around and all, I think that sex might be entering our relationship soon."

I felt light headed. This wasn't something that I needed to hear right now.

"Kaggie…I'm not feeling too good right now…"

"What's wrong, Kikyo? TMI?"

"No! It's not that," I cringed, "I just…haven't been feeling good the last few weeks. I think that I just need to get some sleep right now."

"Ok, Kikyo…Good night!"

"Good night, Kaggie."

I was about to hang up when Kagome quickly said, "Hey, Kikyo? You would…tell me if something was wrong…wouldn't you?"

Would I?

Earlier that day I had scheduled an appointment with Onigumo for tomorrow. It would be for something like a cake tasting that Joe and I had gone to. I was going to whip up several different kinds of cakes as cupcakes. I could easily give the rest to Kagome and send some with him, but I had thought that it would be the easiest thing to do when talking about a kind of cake to do for his parents' anniversary.

I would serve him the cake on these nice little flowered china plates, and a cake tier. I would serve him coffee.

I would tell him that I needed his help. I would tell him, "I am going insane. I am seeing my dead lover. I am seeing a man I want to be my lover. I am hallucinating interacting with them. I can talk to them. I can understand what they are saying. They tell me what to so with my café. I can feel them. I can feel their breath on my ear. I can feel their fingers on my arm and on my neck. I can feel them all over me. I can feel my dead fiancé tell me that I am betraying him. I need you're help. Please…fix me."

Would I tell my sister if there was something wrong?

Would I tell her that I was loosing my mind?

"I would. Good night, Kagome."

No…I wouldn't.

* * *

A/N: Ok…so I am a little late getting this up. Sorry…but I was dealing with some bad news, growing pains (prob. from not enough sleep…) and helping my sister with her new site.

Good things that happened…I got to see the desk my dad is making for me (now he has the bed frame and the dresser) and I saw the "seniors" that are going on the China trip, and some of the people I graduated with.

I will get to the AR's tomorrow…but I just couldn't do it today…sorry…

Thanks to Kittykirtik for you your editing help! Much appreciated :D.

REMEMBER TO REVIEW! I could really use the happy boost right now :'(.


	24. Part 24

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Twenty Four

Onigumo was prompt in coming over to the café. I had barely just finished putting down the tier of cup cakes when I heard the door open.

"Good evening, Kikyo."

"Hello, Onigumo. You are on time. I just finished closing up."

"I'm glad that I am not interrupting you then," he smiled kindly as he hung up his scarf and coat.

"Why is _he_ here?" a voice sneered. "I am being forced to share you already with someone, now we add a third to our little mix?"

"It's not like that," I mumbled as I lead him over to the table.

"Did you say something, Kikyo?" Onigumo asked as he sat down and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"No! Nothing!" I replied, a blush staining my cheeks from the embracement of being caught in the act of talking to my White Rose…or was it Bob now? The lines were becoming so blurred…

"This one here," I said placing a cupcake with orange icing on his plate, "is orange."

He tried it, and all of the other cakes, and soon it was time for him to make his decision. He claimed it was hard for him, since he said he liked all of them, but he thought that his parents would like a buttermilk cake.

"He has made his decision," a voice cooed "now make him leave."

I squeezed my eyes closed and tried to ward off the voices and the pain that was clenching my heart again.

"Onigumo…tell me…how was your day today?"

"It was fine…nothing out—"

"I need your help." I interrupted, looking down at my clenched hands in my lap.

"Alright," I heard him say as he must have put down his cup of coffee. "It is only fair since you are agreeing to help me with the anniversary. What do you need?"

He could not make this easy for me? He had to make me say right out that I was crazy?

"I need your professional help."

"Ok. Let me guess…it's for a friend?"

I looked up at him, and he looked slightly amused. How could he think that this was funny? I am loosing my mind as it is! I do not need to be mocked while I am seeking help.

"No," I snapped, "it's for me. Now, can you help me or not?" It was rude of me to talk to him like that, and in retrospect I regret it greatly…but I was so scared.

His eyebrows shot up to his hairline, but he consented to helping me, and for that, he will never understand the depths of my gratitude.

I took a deep breath and told him everything.

* * *

A/N: I know I know…late posting…again…but at least it is up! I am setting this story up on deviant art, so you can find me (lil6ter) there too. I am rather surprised…a GUY faved chapter three. A GUY in fanfiction? They are truly rare…I only know of two (maybe three…probably three still active) male authors, so it was a shock to say the least.

Anyways…thanks to kittykritik (I will keep with the shout outs for as long as you edit unless you tell me to stop) for editing!

Thanks to everyone that has reviewed! It means A LOT to me! Please keep it up! (And I love to see new reviewers too!)


	25. Part 25

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Twenty Five

"Morning, Kikyo!"

The chirpiness that my sister can exhibit in two words will forever astonish me. How can someone be that happy?

"Inuyasha and I are making plans for the New Year."

Ah. That's how.

"Do you think that you could poke your head out of your coffee hole here for a little bit and come to the party we are throwing? It's at Inuyasha's apartment."

A party? A room filled with people and music and happy lives and celebration? She wanted me to go to one of those?

"We will see."

"That's what you _always_ say. Come on…I would really like it if you met him, and all of our friends are going to be there to meet him…why can't you go?"

"I'm just not in the mood for being in crowded areas right now," I explained, handing a customer his change.

Kagome raised her eyebrow at this.

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

"You seem perfectly happy where you are right now: in a crowded room."

"It's only crowded because it's the morning rush," I snapped. Why did she have to test me on this? Didn't she get it that I couldn't do parties? That I couldn't see couples kiss when the ball dropped?

"Right," she drawled, "of coarse it is.

"Can I get a sticky bun and a cup of coffee to go?" A woman interrupted.

"Yes…Kagome, can you grab a bun for me?" I asked her as I got a plastic cup out to pour coffee into.

"Only if it's attached to Inuyasha."

I almost spilled the coffee all over my counter at her lovely choice of words. I shot her the most blood-curdling look I could muster at the moment. She got the point.

"Fine, fine, fine! Not funny, I get it!"

I snapped the lid onto the coffee and Kagome gave her the bun.

"That'll be seven fifty."

She gave it to me in exact change. I could feel Kagome's eyes on me as I put it into the cash register and pumped more purel out and into my palm. It was becoming unnerving.

"You weren't always like this," Kagome whispered, and I had to look over at her. "There was a time when you would have found that funny, and when you would have wanted to come to this party. What's happened, Kikyo?"

What's happened? What's happened is I have to go to see Onigumo once a week at his office. I have to take pills everyday. I went to the hospital to be diagnosed.

"I'll try to make it Kagome."

"Thank you," she whispered. "I want you to meet him. It's important to me."

"I'll try."

What's happened is I'm having a schizophrenic psychotic break.

* * *

A/n: This chapter is not at all how I had wanted it to go, and those close to me know _precisely_ why that is, and why I was forced to do this, and why the illness came out as it did.

I'm starting to post some of my art at Deviant art in addition to the story, but really, all I have up so far is a picture from the 2008 snow storms that I'm sure a lot of people remember. I will get around to other stuff eventually.

Thank you SO much to everyone that has reviewed the story so far! It really and truly means a lot to me, now more then ever :D.

Thanks also, once again, to kittykritik for her editing job!

Remember to review people!


	26. Part 26

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Twenty Six

It was New Years Day and I still had yet to give Kagome a straight up answer: to go, or not to go to her New Years party. In my heart, I knew that it would be Hell of a kind my schizophrenic break would never be able to achieve. On the other hand, I knew that I should also be there for my sister and meet the "man of her dreams".

Could I stand her tender touches across his shoulders? The longing looks that he would send over to her form as she talked with other people? The loving embraces that they would share through out the evening? Could I stand the same of other people in the room?

For my own sanity, I felt it would be best if I did not go.

I glanced over at the time. Nine in the morning. I had to take my "miracle drug", like always. It was doing me wonders: I had yet to see my White Rose or Bob since I began the strong medication, and I was hopeful that it would continue. It had so far in the two months I had been on it for. I reached into the pocket in my apron and pulled out the bottle, took off the cap, and shook a pale yellow pill into my palm. It was circular and had line indented on one side, my dosage number on the other. I popped it into my mouth and swallowed it with some tap water. Why did people like paying so much for filtered? I will never see the logic in it since my water tastes fine, but maybe that was just another side affect of the schizophrenia.

"Kikyo, you here?"

I jumped up, and almost spilled my open bottle of pills. I snapped the lid on, and shoved it back into the front pocket of my apron.

"Back here Kaggie. In the kitchen."

Her old nickname made her smile, or maybe she was thinking of something that Inuyasha had said again. I silently braced myself for an onslaught that I was sure was about to follow.

"You decide if you are coming tonight or not?"

"Um…not yet," I tried, ignoring the crest fallen look in her eyes. "I wanted to see how things go here today. I might have a lot of dishes and stuff to clean up later on."

"Kikyo…" she pleaded, "Please…I want you to come. I really want you to meet him."

"I'll try," I promised, but I could see in her eyes that it fell on deaf ears. She knew as well as I did that my 'I'll try' was as good as 'I won't'.

"Sure," she whispered as she played with the hem of her sweater. It wasn't fair of me. I knew it as much as she did. When I had asked her to meet Joe that time, she had jumped at the opportunity. Now, I was doing everything in my power to avoid doing the same for her.

"Maybe…you can stop bye later on for a few minutes just to say hi?"

I sighed and rubbed my eyes.

"Sure."

"Really?" she squealed.

"Yeah…I'll bring a cake or something."

"Oh, Kikyo! You're the best! Can you make a chocolate one? Inuyasha loves chocolate almost as much as I do."

She threw her arms around my neck, and I closed my eyes in pain. Even a few minutes with the couple was going to be Hell.

* * *

A/N: DON'T SHOOT! There was a horrible storm over here yesterday, and the power was out for most of the day. It was horrible :'(. When it did come back on, I wasn't the only one that had to use the computer with internet, so I could only quickly reply to a few important e-mails before I had to turn it over to someone else. Because of that though, I don't have any AR's done. Me sorry… At least I can post this now though :D. I forgot to send this to kittykritik, so booboos will be there. Let me know if you see any!

On a side note…I _**MAY **_TAKE A BREAK FROM THIS STORY. I'm sorry…but…posting everyday, writing a new chapter everyday…it's a LOT of work…and I need me time, and a bit of time to work on other stuff, like a One-shot I have been working on for TWO YEARS. I have done a lot of off and on stuff with it…but it is only really 14 pages. If I don't work on that, then I do have Training Hearts, An Unscripted Secret, White Rose, and Envious Rose to work on…but…I just need a little time off from this one. I will post the next two or three chapters, and then I will be AWOL for a while. Sorry…

Thanks to all that have R and R-ed! It means a lot to me, and I love hearing from everyone, and hearing what everyone has to say, be it good bad, or in between!


	27. Part 27

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

* * *

_

Part Twenty Seven

_  
_  
As I brushed my hair, I could not help but repeatedly wonder what the hell I had gotten myself into. I made the cake the second Kagome had left, and then spent the rest of the day wondering if I should back down or not. The damn cake…it was prodding me. It was telling me that I should go. The medication in my pocket told me that I should stay. I called Onigumo on what I had assumed to be his lunch hour, or maybe he was off for the day, and gave him a brief description of my situation. He thought that a brief interaction with people at a joyous occasion might not be a bad thing, and that I could come and see him on the second, in addition to my normal visit on the fifth. I was about to protest it when he then told me that I could pay him in cake and call it a social visit between to friends.  
_  
_  
Even with his prodding, taking out the red dress and putting it on wasn't easy by any means.  
_  
_  
If anything, I felt like I was going to break down at any moment.  
_  
_  
I glanced over at the clock. Eleven. If I wanted to go, and be sheltered from the onslaught of people kissing, I would have to go now. The trip to Inuyasha's apartment building wasn't easy by any means, and I wasn't talking about the heals that I had stupidly chosen to wear.  
_  
_  
No…each step I took in them just reminded me that I was going to see a couple deeply in love. Something that I had once had but that I never would have again because it was taken from me. Did I really want to put myself through that?  
_  
_  
I arrived at his, what would eventually become their, apartment at about eleven thirty. It was easy enough to find, but mustering the want to go in there was still another thing. Still, I raised my hand up to the door frame and rang the little bell off to the side, absently thinking that Inuyasha was well off. It was in a very decent part of town, and he had an apartment on one of the highest floors in a very expensive building.  
_  
_  
What had Kagome said about him in one of our never-ending conversations about the man?  
_  
_  
Ah yes. He came from money and was a lawyer. Typical.  
_  
_  
The door opened to reveal the smiling face of a man and my sister.  
_  
_  
"Kikyo! You made it!"  
_  
_  
She latched onto me and dragged me in while the man -who I assumed to be Inuyasha-closed the door, effectively blocking off my only escape hatch.  
_  
_  
"I told you that I would stop off for a few moments…here," I said, thrusting the cake into her arms. "It's chocolate."  
_  
_  
She giggled and dragged me into the kitchen, where I saw a woman looking for champagne glasses.  
_  
_  
"Sango," Kagome called out to the long, black haired woman, "we will need another glass. My sister came!"  
_  
_  
"Oh, Christ! Another one? How many people did you invite Kagome? I think that this," she waved a glass towards us, "was the last one."  
_  
_  
The man had followed us into the kitchen, and started to rub the woman's shoulders.  
_  
_  
"Sango, darling, I'm sure that Inuyasha has more glasses, and if he doesn't, then you shouldn't worry about it. He is already out picking up our order. We can ask him to find some more glasses."  
_  
_  
"I wish that he would hurry up Miroku," the woman, Sango apparently, replied. I had never seen either of them before in my life, so I assumed that they were Inuyasha's friends.  
_  
_  
"Well," I broke in, trying to destroy the tender moment, "I won't be here for long."  
_  
_  
"But Kikyo, you promised!"  
_  
_  
"I said that I would stop by," I corrected, silently thrilled by the fact that Inuyasha was out. The display that Miroku and Sango had just put on was pushing my limits already. I didn't even want to know how much more touchy feely things were going to get the second he walked through the front door.  
_  
_  
"Who is she," I heard Sango whisper to Miroku, and Kagome's eyes widened.  
_  
_  
"Oh! I'm so out of it today! I completely forgot my manners! Kikyo, this is Sango," she pointed towards the woman, "and this is her fiancé Miroku." She finished pointing to the man behind the woman. I had assumed as much by now. "They went to school with Inuyasha. Guys, this is my older sister, Kikyo."  
_  
_  
Official hello's were made, and I stayed around for another twenty minutes, which were spent mostly by Kagome frantically calling Inuyasha to tell him to get back here, and me talking to Sango and Miroku. I had tried to distance myself from the sickeningly sweet pair, but I soon found their antics a little hard to distance myself from.  
_  
_  
"Kagome, I need to get going while I still have a shot at getting home at a normal hour."  
_  
_  
She had just gotten through with another phone call to Inuyasha, and to say she seemed peeved was an understatement.  
_  
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"No! You can't go yet! He is a block away!"  
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"I'm sorry Kagome…but unless you want me bunking on the couch while you to…I don't know…have wild monkey sex," I thoroughly enjoyed the way her cheeks suddenly lit up from embarrassment as Miroku laughed his head off. She immediately started defending her honor to him, but I pushed forward and interrupted her "then I need to go. I swear that I will make it up to you sometime. This isn't really the atmosphere you wanted me to meet him in, is it."  
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"No…but…yes…but…you will come to meet him some other time, won't you?"  
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"I will."  
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I inwardly cringed.  
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"Alright…good night Kikyo! And happy New Year!"  
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"Night Kaggie! Same to you! And enjoy your monkey sex!" I had to bolt to the door to survive her retaliation.  
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I sighed a sigh of relief, when I was in the lobby and on my way back to my place.  
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Inuyasha entered the building with cups and food moments later. I never saw him go in, and he never saw me come out.

* * *

A/n: Excuses excuses…not sure if you really want them or not, so I won't give. College hasn't started yet (I know, right?) so I thought that I would start this up again before it did in eight days. I am gonna try and do the once a day thing again, but I'm the Maid of Honor for MY sister's wedding, so things may get to be a little _, especially around the 18th. I was talking to someone the other day, and I came back to look at the story. It was a bit…um…wow when I saw how long it had been since I last updated. Whoa is to me, and whoa is to the Café.

I don't have any AR's. I'm sorry!!! Normally it would be easy for me to figure out where I left off, but with reviews more or less back to back since I updated the story each day, it is a bit hard to figure out the who what when where and why.

I'm just going to do an over all one:

AR

To: EVERYONE

Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed the story! It means a lot to me! I can't say who WR is, of coarse, but some people are right, and others are close. I may have to reveal who he is soon simply because some people got it right, but we will see. I'm sorry if Kagome seems a bit bitchy and self absorbed right now, but she is a little consumed by Inuyasha. The deep down caring sister is still in her, and Kikyo was like this when she was with Joe/Bob. Also, keep in mind that Joe/Bob died a few YEARS ago, so weird behavior as of late on Kikyo's part is stranger then normal. Thank you if you are a new reviewer! Thank you if you are a returning reviewer! All of your reviews are special, and I wish I could pinpoint where to start exactly with replying! I hope you will keep reading!

~Lil6ter


	28. Part 28

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

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_

Part Twenty Eight

I never made it to Onigumo's office to talk to him about how things went at my sister's party. Peoples' New Years resolutions seemed to exclude coffee, and if anything, I had more customers then ever. I think that it helped wake people up on their way to the gym, and I found myself needing to open sooner and close later then I had before. I couldn't decide how to feel about that, but it was what it was.

When things started to get a little slower, around two in the afternoon, Onigumo called to check up on me instead, asking questions like, "and how did this make you feel," and the likes of it. I don't think that phone calls were a normal procedure for psychologists, but since I'm a friend, I think that we can get away with it.

I had just hung up the phone when Kagome had magically appeared behind the counter and was contentedly munching away on chocolate death.

"So Inuyasha and I are thinking about doing the whole 'meet the parents' thing."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Like with Ben Stiller?"

She giggled. "Hopefully it won't go like that per say, but we want to get more serious."

More serious? Clearly late night snuggles and tickle fights were no longer satisfying her.

"How much more serious?"

She took a deep breath before letting out, "like moving in together serious," in one big whoosh.

That was a big step, especially for her. I shoved my hands into the front pocket of my apron and fingered the lid to my 'miracle drug'. I had taken it at nine that morning, like usual, but that didn't stop the memories of a time when I lived with Joe from filtering in from around my barriers.

"And when are you thinking about doing that?"

"I don't know," she replied as she ran a hand through her silky hair, shaking it a bit when she got to the crown and to her shoulders. "We only just started talking about it yesterday, but I told him that I wanted him to meet my parents first before we did anything like that.

I nodded my head. I knew that Mom and Dad were going to be thrilled. They had found out about Inuyasha around Thanksgiving, and they had begun to pester Kagome about meeting him during Christmas.

"I was thinking maybe the end of the month, but Inuyasha has been needing to stay later and later at work these days…he has a big case coming up soon, you know."

"You have mentioned it, yes."

"It's in February, but he tries so hard to do everything to the best of his abilities," I clenched the bottle hard in my hand as she started another 'Inuyasha is perfect, Inuyasha is the love of my life' monologue. "It will be hard to fit it in around his schedule is all."

The timer in the back sounded, and Kagome threw the paper around chocolate death away.

I went into the back and pulled out chocolate-walnut turnovers and set them off to the side.

My baby sister was growing up, and I was being left in the dust to long after a dead man, and a man that I hardly talk to.

* * *

A/N: I am VERY excited for when things start with a 3 in the next few chapters. I just wrote chapter 34 and 35, and I LOVE how they came out. Not the way I had planed it exactly, per say, but still a fantastic end result, if I do say so myself.

I forgot to say this yesterday, but I will say it now.

THIS STORY WAS NOMINATED AT IYFG FOR BEST DRAMA AND BEST AU!

It didn't place, but it was still great to be nominated. This was like…a month ago or so? Ah…well…se la vida.

Thanks to all who have reviewed! It means a lot, and I hope that everyone will continue reading the story!


	29. Part 29

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

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_

Part Twenty Nine

It was Saturday the week after Kagome had told me about her plans to have Inuyasha meet the family. It was a bitter, bone-chilling day. The kind of day that made you want to snuggle up in bed with a good book and a cup of hot coco. It was snowing heavily, the flakes joined with other flakes in the sky while falling to make them look like they were the size of nickels falling down. They shattered into thousands of pieces on the salted sidewalk, but I don't think that it did much good for most people. The café was busy when the snowfall was light.

Then, as the flow became heavier, the customers thinned. There was the occasional passerby that needed a moment inside and a cup of coffee to heat up, but for the most part business was slow.

My White Rose came for a few minutes that day, as he had been for the last few months. He came in and ordered three cups of coffee, and three scones.

It was an unusual order for him, but I thought nothing of it.

"To stay, or to go?"

"To go."

I nodded my head and asked for nineteen fifty as I handed him his order. He gave me a twenty, and I gave him fifty cents change.

He was just putting his wallet away when his phone started to ring.

"Hey…no…not yet. I'm on my way now. I just stopped for some coffee. No…I know. I'll be careful, I promise. You're thinking about doing what? Have you seen what it's like outside? Please just…stay inside. I'm only out because Bankotsu needs me at the office, otherwise I would be at home right now. Look…I need to get to the office, but I will call you as soon is I'm there, and you better still be at home. Stay warm. Heh…you too. Bye!"

I was perplexed by his conversation. Who was Bankotsu? Was he the man I had seen him with several months ago? And who was the conversation with? His lover?

I shuddered at the thought, and started mixing up another batch of apple cinnamon turnovers while I waited for someone to ring the bell up front. I absently wondered what had happened to Mr. Simon. It had been a while since I had seen him, but I was sure that it was due to the weather. It was quite the trip for an elderly man to make on foot, especially in this weather.

It was perhaps a half hour after my White Rose had shown up that my sister made her appearance.

"Why aren't you with Inuyasha?"

"He went to work," she groaned, helping herself to a fresh turnover. "Mn…this is delicious Kikyo! Now all I need is a cup of hot coco."

I shuddered at the thought of hot coco even as I told her where she would find the ingredients in the kitchen, and how to mix what with what.

I took off my apron and hung it on the peg by the door. I watched it sway gently from the force behind my hand that had caused the bottle in the front pocket to act like a little for a pendulum.

"I wish that he didn't have to spend so much time there lately…I mean, I know that he isn't cheating on me or anything like that," Kagome started again once she had a cup of hot chocolate warming her hands, "but I just wish that we could have more 'us' time right now, you know?"

"How do you know that he isn't cheating?"

"Well, there isn't any lipstick on his collar, strange pieces of long hair on his clothes, and I can't smell any perfume on him. Besides…Inuyasha is a good man. He wouldn't be like some of the other men I have known."

I smiled softly and knowingly at her words.

She looked down at the cup in her hands, and smiled softly at some secret thought.

We were interrupted by a bell up front, and I went to serve the customer. When the door opened as the left, a snow drift fell in and I took a moment to really look outside. It was a blizzard like no other, and I knew that Kagome couldn't go out into that.

She would have to spend the night with me, and I would have to spend the day with her talking about Inuyasha.

* * *

A/N: Omg…I wrote…like…four chapters yesterday. I stopped at chapter 38, so I am almost into the 40s. I am almost wondering if the story is going to be around 100 chapters. I wouldn't be surprised somehow. Anyways, I am really looking forward to posting chapter 39 or 40 or 41. That is going to be a chapter filled with extra White Rose funzies. Don't worry…you can read it in like…10 days :). Maybe more…maybe less. What happens, I can't say. You will just have to R and R to find out :-).

Speaking of R and R-ing…Thank you to all that have read and reviewed! It really does mean a lot to me, and I hope that you will keep it up! I love to hear from the old, the new, the blue, and the borrowed. Whoops…not a wedding.


	30. Part 30

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

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_

Part Thirty  
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I felt bad for not wanting her to stay. The concept of Inuyasha this and Inuyasha that was going to drive me to want to do things to my sister that I had never dreamt of doing before. The least violent course of action that I cooked up involved chocolate death, and a sleeping pill. Only then, I found, would I get the silence I craved.  
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I loved my sister. Make no mistake about this, but, yet, at the same time there was only so much a mind could take.  
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I walked over to the big glass windows and peered outside. I raised my hand and rest both it and my head on the chilled glass and sighed, my breath creating a frosted coating to the glass.  
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Even though I was reluctant to let her stay, it was too bad out to let her go.  
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I walked over to the front door and flipped the 'Open' sign to 'Closed'. It was so bad out now that for their own safety I didn't want potential customers coming in for even the briefest of moments.  
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I went to the back and found Kagome making herself another cup of hot chocolate.  
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"Hey! Do you want me to make you one too?"  
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I shook my head as I reached up to take the hair band out of my high tail and run my fingers through it. "No…I'm fine."  
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"You sure?"  
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"Yeah, hey…Kagome, I just looked out the window and it's getting bad. Really bad. I think that you should stay here for the night."  
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Kagome looked up from stirring her coco. Her expression reminded me of a dear caught in headlights. She normally liked spending the night here. We would always do something like 'spa day' and make cookies or bake a cake.  
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"I…don't think that I should do that."  
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"Why not? It's foolish to go out with the weather like it is now."  
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"Yeah, I know," she stalled, biting her lip and looking like she had committed the greatest sin known to man.  
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"But…" I prodded.  
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"But, Inuyasha thinks that I'm at home right now, and I promised him I wouldn't leave since the weather was so bad…but at the same time, I wanted you see you today. You've been acting weird lately."  
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I ran my fingers through my hair. "It's just…stress, but don't change the subject. Why don't you want to stay here then?"  
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"I just don't want him to know that I broke my promise is all."  
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I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "Call him. Tell him that you came over here and that you're spending the night."  
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I have regretted that decision to this day.

* * *

A/n: Uh oh…I wonder what she is going to regret? Then again, I guess that we will all find out tomorrow huh?

I redid the website I have been working on for this story (I have a thing for websites. I am making my sister's wedding website. That is how much I love them…and her.) and it looks MUCH better.

So happy that the chapters are starting with a 3 now. I think that they are much more fun then the ones starting with a 2 or a 1. You will see why *evil laugh*.

Thanks to everyone that has read and reviewed! It means mucho to me, and I want you to keep it up! Reviews are excellent motivation.


	31. Part 31

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

* * *

_

_Part Thirty One_

"Pass me the chocolate chips will you?"

"Sure…which kind do you want Kikyo? White, milk, or dark?"

"Which one do you want?"

"Can we do all three?" I laughed. Kagome always loved my cookies.

"You do realize that we are going to need a lot more batter, right?"

"Yeah...but what we don't eat you can sell, and I can bring to Inuyasha as an apology. He wasn't thrilled with everything, and I can tell he is still simmering, but he gets it and he's glad I'm staying here tonight."

She popped a white chocolate chip into her mouth while she passed the milk chocolate bag and a bag of walnuts.

"You know...it feels like it's been _forever _since we did this last," I casually mentioned as I began pouring the chips into the dough.

She paused munching on the white chips in thought. "You know, I think it's been...what..."

"Six months," I answered softly, looking up from stirring the chips in. "A bit before you and Inuyasha became you and Inuyasha."

She was silent as I began forming the dough into balls and placing them about an inch away from the edge of the tray and from the other cookies. I remembered one time when we were younger we didn't leave any space between the cookies. When they baked, it was like one giant pizza cookie that you could buy for little kids. I felt my lips turn up in a smile at that thought, and I looked down at my fingers. They were unbearably sticky, but that happens when you make cookies. I had already started preheating the oven, so by the time I finished forming the cookies it should be hot enough to just pop them in.

"You ...haven't felt like I'm ignoring you, have you?"

Kagome's soft, heartfelt question surprised me.

"No," I smiled genuinely, "I haven't. You are young and...in love. It's to be expected. Besides...you have to admit, when...when Naraku and I were together…"

"Kikyo..." Kagome chocked, but I pushed on.

"Let me finish, Kagome. When Naraku and I were together, I was the same way. It...it _has_ been a long time since I have felt that way, but I'm _glad_ that you have your chance with Inuyasha now. I'm jealous at times, I'll admit that, but I am happy you found someone."

She gave me a broad smile and threw her arms around my neck. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

"It never hurts to hear it again."

"I love you and you are the best sister in the world. I know how hard it is for say his name."

I didn't want to tell her that Onigumo had suggested that I bring him up now and then to help get past things. It wasn't good to have a little box of pain in you. She didn't need to know that I was seeing him still, though not romantically.

I ignored her comment and made to put the tray into the oven so that it could start baking.

"Why don't I take care of that?" Kagome asked, taking the tray from my hands. "Go up and take a hot bath, and when you get out we can have fresh cookies and act like we're five again."

I gave her an appreciative smile and made my way upstairs and into a hot bath.

I never should have listened to her.

* * *

A/N: OMG…JOE IS NARAKU! I just got tired of keeping him a complete secret, but that kills off another curve ball (though I hinted who he was earlier).

Anyways…Happy New Year to all ma Jew peeps. I spent all morning (10 – 1pm) in services, but the college one didn't feel like it was overly long. Then again, they get right to the point and don't put this stuff on for show like my old temple. A song that should be 2 min. ends up being 5 with them. It's craaaaaaaazzy man.

As usual, THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! I can't say it enough, but they honestly mean a lot to me. I'm not just saying it. They really and truly do mean a lot. Thank you for them, and give yourself a pat on the back, even if all you wrote was a "I like." I love reading them all :).


	32. Part 32

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

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_

Part Thirty Two

I sunk down into the water and sighed. It felt good to say that to Kagome. It felt almost like a small weight had been lifted, and I forced myself to look at her relationship and how I had been acting. Selfish, in a way. I was jealous of their relationship, and the fact that she had one while I didn't. The fact that my baby sister had someone that she loved, while I was left in the dust to rot. That the person I loved more then anything had been taken from me. I was really looking into me, and trying to tackle these feelings on my own, without Onigumo's help. I was proud and I felt that this showed growth.

I sunk further down into the bath water so that it came above my mouth and just under my nose.

Memories of when I was dating Naraku flashed through my mind. Gentle touches. Soft whispers. Longing glances. Joy filled laughter. Mock anger. All of it I left on my sister's lap. I told her everything. Each touch. Each smile. Each laugh. Each fight. All of it went to her. Nothing was left out of those conversations.

If I were being honest with myself, didn't she deserve the same? Wasn't it time that I started living again, not just for me, but also for him?

I needed to learn to put this anger and jealousy at Kagome's relationship with Inuyasha behind me, and I was going to start today.

I sat up in the water and grabbed a bottle of hair shampoo for people who dyed their hair. I have never, nor do I plan on, dying my hair until it grays. I am comfortable with the color of it, and I like it. The shampoo, however, was fantastic for people who don't. Really though, I used it for the conditioner. It was even better for my hair then most moister intensive conditioners.

I ran my brush through my hair a few times before rinsing. There was no repeat.

When I had finished, I just sat there in the warm water, the sent of cookies swimming around me. I was utterly content, but in reality, if I had known what was going on in the kitchen I would have been a bit more on edge. I didn't though and was content in my oblivious state. I wish in a way that I had never said yes to Kagome's suggestion. That she was the one that came up for a bath. Things didn't go that way though. They never go the way they you want them to.

I got out of the water, hearing the ding of my fairly loud timer downstairs. I toweled off and dressed in warm flannel pajamas and comfy shoes. I put on a robe and came downstairs, the steps squeaking now and then from warped wood.

"Hey Kaggie! The cookies smell good!" I called out to her as I walked into the kitchen, and over to the table. I picked up one of the cookies that were on a plate in front of her.

"Did you try them yet?" I asked her as I started nibbling on one. "Mmmn. It's good."

That is when I saw her eyes. They were red and puffy.

"Kagome?" I called out tentatively.

Her lips pressed into a thin line.

"How long?"

I sat down across from her, and took her hand in mine. "Kagome?"

"How long have you been taking this?"

She put the bottle of my miracle drug on the table, and I knew that all hell was about to break loose.

* * *

A/N: OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG….I'm _**SOOO**_ sorry! The story is normally up by now, but I went to college today and things took longer then I thought, and because of that I couldn't get to the AR's! I SWEAR that I will do them all tonight and post them tomorrow, but I can't make you wait any longer!!!

At last! The cliff hanger has come to an end, and I just wrote my FAVORITE chapter for this story to date. It is absolutely perfect…and you are gonna kill me when you read it. Maybe. Yes? I don't know. YOU WANT ME AROUND TO FINISH THE STORY. That is all I will say ;-). I know that you just got into the 3's…but I am in the 4's…and _**OMG**_.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you for all of your reviews!!! If we can get to 100 reviews on MM, I will be like…jumping for joy!! Seriously…for a story that I thought was going to generate 0 interest, you guys have proven me WAAAAAY wrong, and I absolutely LOVE it :D. Keep reading and reviewing…I can never say how much it means to me, but I can try :D.

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IMPORTANT POLL: This story is already "controversial" as it is, but I was just thinking yesterday…how many people would want a VERY brief Kikyo lemon? There is a location later in the plot that would allow for one, but please state your opinion for it so I know what to do!!!!

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	33. Part 33

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

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_

Part Thirty Three

"Where? How…Kagome—"

"I found it. If you didn't want someone to know, then you shouldn't have kept it in your apron," she coolly informed me, her eyes glued to my face, watching every muscle twitch and glance of my eyes.

"Kagome…"

"How _long _Kikyo?"

"Not that long."

"_Kikyo!_"

"A few months! There! Are you happy now?"

"Why didn't you say anything? I'm your sister! We share everything! Why should this be any different, Kikyo?"

"I didn't want to concern you."

"_Concern me?__" she screeched, rising to her feet in indignation._ "I can't believe you just said that!"

"Well, look at you! You have a new life and things are exciting for you! I didn't want you to worry about one little thing like this!"

"This is _not _one little thing! My life is changing, yes, and I am spending more time with Inuyasha. That doesn't mean that I don't want to be there for you! Dammit, Kikyo! This isn't something that you should have to shoulder on your own! I love you. You are my big sister. Why couldn't you tell me about this?" she continued, her tone becoming softer and losing the demanding edge to it. "You were always there for me, and I was there the day we got_ that _phone call. What makes you think that I am going to stop now? What makes you think that I would_ want _to stop now?"

"I don't know," I replied just as softly, my fingers rubbing the sides of my head where my temples lay. "It isn't something that you want to broadcast to the world. It's defiantly not something that I am proud of."

"Proud of or not, it is something that I would have liked to have known about. Who gave you the diagnosis?" she asked, sitting down back down in her chair.

"Onigumo," I cringed and her eyes widened.

"The Onigumo you went on a date with?"

"Yes."

She started laughing. A full body joyous belly laugh that rakes through your whole body. I was so glad to see her back from the brink of something terrible. Her laughter was contagious and soon I found myself chuckling a little too.

"And to think that you absolutely hated the idea of going out with him, and that I'm the one that found him for you!"

"Yeah, well, don't expect that to happen again," I smiled.

"I'm still not happy with you, you know," she said after a moment.

"I know," I softly replied, reaching out for a cookie.

"Would you have ever told me?"_  
_  
I paused in thought. Would I have told my sister? Would I have concerned her like that? No…I think that to this day, if she had never found the bottle, I would have kept the secret with me._  
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"Maybe. If the time was right."_  
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She nodded and looked down the cup in her hands. "It makes sense, in a way. I knew that there was something wrong with you. I just never knew what it was. I didn't think that it would be something like this, either. I have seen it the last few months in little things that you did. Why didn't you tell me about it when I asked?"_  
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"I just…at the beginning, I didn't know what it was, or what to make of it. After Onigumo told me what was wrong, I just needed time to get used to it."  
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"Well…I'm here for you, and I am more than willing to help you adjust."  
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I smiled and hugged her.  
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I wish that I still wanted her to help me with that today.

* * *

A/N: She blew up, and then she got over it. Kikyo NEVER wanted to share that with ANYONE. Can I say that the importance of this lil discovery is completely over with? That is for you to decide ;-).

Ok…it seems like everyone is for the lemon, so yay on that part! Taking a day off of writing chapters (I'm already up to chapter 41, thank you) but I am excited to get back to it.

Riddle me this: why is it that teachers give you HW if you have NEVER met them before, never gone to their class before, and classes haven't started yet? College teachers are confusing…

On the note of college…

I looked that my schedual, and I will be getting back everyday at around 5, so come Wednesday until…probably the end of the story, expect the once a day updates (as promised) but they will come either later in the day, or earlier on in the day then usual. I am gonna try and keep with the once a day thing (and get my cushion a bit more padded) but hey…its college! That comes first, as is my modo (and always has been).

Anyways…thank you sooooo much for the reviews!! They mean a lot…and I can never say that enough :D. And…OMG! 100 on MM! THANK YOU lanita FOR BEING NUMBER 100!!!!!


	34. Part 34

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

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_

Part Thirty Four  
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"We had sex!"  
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I spit out the coffee that I had just sipped, spraying it all over my once pristine glass display cases in the front on my café. It was February fifteenth; the day after Valentines Day. It had been two months since Kagome had found out about my secret, and Kagome's relationship with Inuyasha had become more serious. I just didn't know how much more until today.  
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Every eye in my little café turned to look at her, and I felt my cheeks warm in embarrassment for Kagome. She had the decency to blush too, but she ran behind the display to where I sat, grabbed my arm, and pulled me to the back so that our public conversation would be a bit more private.  
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"Last night," she continued, "we had sex. It was just…so spontaneous in a way! I mean…with his trial over with, and since we haven't seen each other in a while…then you add on the romantic dinner and …well one thing just lead to another! I think that we were barely through the door before I started ripping his clothing off! But everything just felt so right, you know?"  
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I did know. I had felt the same way with Naraku when we first had sex.  
_  
_  
"God…is he beautiful," Kagome whispered, a faraway look in her eyes as she leaned back against the counter in my kitchen. "Everything about him is beautiful."  
_  
_  
I had to resist the urge to run and grab a garbage can in fear of what was about to pour out of her mouth.  
_  
_  
"His smile…his short black hair…his eyes…everything. The way he talks and moves. I am a lucky girl, Kikyo. He is a great person…and the great sex is like the ultimate cherry on top of the most delicious ice cream sundae." The girl was lost to him. Completely and utterly lost.  
_  
_  
"You guys _did _use a condom…didn't you?"  
_  
_  
Kagome's eyes suddenly widened as my question brought her back to the here and now.  
_  
_  
"Use a…" her breath caught in her throat. I only took it to mean that she was flabbergasted that I would ask her such a thing.  
_  
_  
"Condom," I finished for her. "I know it really isn't any of my business, but call it the overly protective big sister part of me."  
_  
_  
She didn't move for a few minutes, and I was starting to think that there was something very wrong with this picture.  
_  
_  
"Kagome…you two used one, right?"  
_  
_  
Then she said something that I never wanted to hear.  
_  
_  
"I…I don't remember!"

* * *

A/N: I KNOW! LATE UPDATE! But I had a lot of college stuff going on, and I had no idea that I would get back as late as I did. I know…I seem to say that every time, but it's true!

Not much else to say other then the fact that tomorrow is the first day of classes! Whoot whoot!

Thanks for the reviews, and thanks to kittykritik for beta-ing this chapter, and chapter 33!!


	35. Part 35

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Thirty Five

"What do you mean you don't remember?" I practically shouted.

"I don't know! I mean…I was so far gone from everything! I don't remember him stopping to put one on…and I know that I defiantly didn't bring it up…"

"Dammit, Kagome! How could you be so careless?! All it takes is one time to get pregnant! And do you even know his sexual history?"

"He is clean, if that is what you are implying! And it's not like this is a one-night stand! This is _Inuyasha_!"

"Tell his sperm that! Just because he is your boyfriend doesn't mean that you won't get pregnant! Are you at least on the pill?"

Her guilty look told me everything.

"Kagome…"

"I'm not, ok?" she cried, frustration in her eyes and distress radiating off of her body.

"Why not?" I demanded.

"Because I didn't even think that it was going to happen! It was spontaneous!"

"How could you be so foolish, Kagome?"

"We don't even know if I am! You are probably freaking out over nothing!"

I felt my nostrils flair. How could she have been this stupid? This wasn't something that you did once and it went away. If there was no condom or pill, then chances are my little sister was going to either be getting married in Vegas soon, or her baby was going to be a bastard.

"Get…your…phone…and…call…him." I slowly ground out, clenching my fists to keep from elevating this_ conversation _even more. Chances were the entire café could hear the entire story of my sister's stupidity.

She nodded her head and wiped her eyes from the tears that had begun to fall. I left her alone in my kitchen to give her some measure of privacy, and so that I could clean my glass display case. I took out a bottle of windshield cleaner and sprayed it on the case. It was the same as Windex, but it cost less and you got more for it. I took the paper towel and slowly started wiping it off of the glass.

I could see how it would be easy for Kagome to get lost and forget. I never told her this, but Naraku and I were in the same situation for a while. We forgot to put one on, and for the next few weeks I was scared sick. I thought that maybe we were going to have a kid, but the result was a negative.

It was a happy and sad day for us, but in the end, it was for the best. I don't want Kagome to have to go through the same thing. The same questions of, "Are we going to get married now? Should we move? Can we support a child? Are we ready for this?"

It wasn't something that she needed to ask herself then. She was still young. She had her whole life ahead of her. Yes, she may have thought that Inuyasha was the one, but was he really? A child shouldn't force them to make that decision.

I turned to throw the paper towel in the trashcan and saw Kagome standing in the doorway.

I bit my lip and shoved my hands into the pocket of my apron.

"What did he say?" I whispered, almost afraid to hear the answer.

She walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me, leaning her head on my shoulder and squeezing me tight.

I closed my eyes as I felt my heart drop to my stomach, as I hugged her back.

"He put one on."

Suddenly, everything was better.

* * *

A/N: Ok….so I know that I left off at like…the WORST moment, but you see…college started THAT day, and I am still adjusting. I'm writing this in class as we speak (won't post till later) waiting for the teacher to show up, and things have been hectic. Anyways…ME SORRY!

I wrote the lemon, so all good in that area. Feel special…I don't normally do them. Check my stats out on that too :-P.

Can people read chapter 33 by the way? It isn't showing up on my netbook…but it could just be the college server and junk…

A quick shout out to Goofy G who is going through some personal shiz. I 3 you and I am here for you whenever you need me (or at least when I am on FB which is a good portion of the time. Stickin' addicting games…).


	36. Part 36

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Thirty Six

I was still reeling from my sister's baby scare for the next few days. The concept of her with an unplanned child out of wedlock was a scary one to me. I can still feel my cheeks burning from when Mr. Simon came up to me after she had left, and my cheeks have never been the same. I hate airing dirty laundry, and while my sister's sex life wasn't the dirtiest out there, it was stained enough for me to want to at least pour some Clorox over her lingerie.

Our parents met Inuyasha the day before. Now then, normally I would be happy with this, as it showed more growth in their relationship, and one that proved that their roll in the hay was more then a roll in the hay, but I wasn't. If anything, I was starting to wish that they hadn't, and it was for three very simple reasons.

Reason one: now our parents won't stop talking about him. Everything from them is Inuyasha this and Inuyasha that. It almost makes me want to buy a tie for the guy, put it on him, and tighten it to the point that he can't breath anymore.

Reason two: in addition to my parents' newfound love of my sister's boyfriend, they have begun pestering me to find a duplicate of him. As much as I would love a robot version of Inuyasha, I tend to like my men to not be made of metallic bits and pieces. There was only one thing about Kagome's sex episode that I had begun to envy, and that was the fact that she had had sex. I hadn't had sex since Naraku was alive, but now, the more I started to think about it, the more the idea of having it appealed to me. I began to fantasize about it, both with Naraku and my White Rose, and that scared me. It only proved to me that I needed to get out on the town. The best way to maybe do that though was to have a girl's night out with Kagome to celebrate her moving in with Inuyasha, which brings me to my last reason.

Reason three: now that our parents met him, they are going to move in together. While this normally wouldn't be a problem, it actually is because of one little thing. I am helping Kagome with the move, and when I help her, chances are, I'm going to have to meet Inuyasha. I am still not all that thrilled with the idea of meeting Prince Charming, nor do I think that this is the right situation for it, but if she needs my help then so be it.

Things were set to start around the end of the month, and I could defiantly wait for that time to come.

My White Rose came in the day after my sister's embarrassing announcement to the whole café regarding her sex life. He ordered a coffee and a blueberry scone, of coarse. I was thrilled to see him, and so glad that he wasn't there the day Kagome came.

He brought a book with him this time, and seemed consumed with reading it. I couldn't help but stare at him as he did, and I was very glad no one else came for some coffee. I could spend my entire day just staring at him, as horrible as that sounds.

As I was staring at him though, I suddenly got the urge to go over there and talk to him. There was just something about his easygoing manner that day that drew me to him more then usual.

Of coarse, life never works the way you want it to. Just when I had mustered up the courage to go over to him and say hi, he left.

It was just as well. I was going to see him again in the next few weeks, and this time I was going to get much closer to him then just asking him "To stay or to go" regarding a cup of coffee.

* * *

A/N: I know….I'm bad. Sitting in the hallway working on this when I SHOULD be looking at bio. Stinkin' bio…I need to get a tutor in it, but I have been putting off filling and handing the form in. I had one in HS for my first two years, but I didn't really think that I would need one again. Surprise! I also just got back from talking with my advisor and I am all set for registering for winter classes on Nov. 10th, so I'm pretty pleased. I'm apparently taking a math class that isn't a math class. I know…I had a WTF moment too, but it counts for math so I'm all for it. And a philosophy class. Good fun.

Thank you so much to everyone that has R and R-ed and put up with me and everything! It means a lot :D.

I do Ars later…I haz HW that I need to do, but I wanted to put this up. Much love to everyone!!!

* * *

I want to give people a heads up…

In less then two weeks (11 days) my sister is getting married. She is coming in before the wedding on the 18th, so if I go AWOL for a while, blame that. I AM the sister and Maid of honor, so it's to be expected :-P.

* * *


	37. Part 37

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Thirty Seven

If I had ever wanted to damn my sister's sex life, it wasn't truly until the night I called her, asking what time she wanted me to come to help her move the next day.

I had had a long day in my café. More people then usual came, and I had been run ragged. I was tired, and my body was sore. To say that I was looking forward to helping her move would have been the laugh of the century. Still…she is my sister and I felt an obligation to help her, and she was more then happy to take me up on my offer. The only problem was that I didn't know when to go over to her soon-to-be-old-apartment.

I called her at about nine that night, and thought that the call was going to go through to her answering machine. It didn't, though. She picked up at the last second.

"Hello?"

There was something weird about the way she said that…something that had me on edge slightly.

"Hi Kaggie! I was wondering when you wanted me to come over tomorrow."

"Ummmnn…can...you…Ummn. How—wa about seven?"

"In the morning?"

She was my sister…but she was also a slave driver. There was no way that I was going to come over at seven after working the way I had today.

"Kagome, I had a really long day today. I don't think that I can make it at seven. It's a little early for me."

"O—ok…" she groaned, and I felt myself becoming more concerned.

"Kagome, are you ok? You sound like you're in pain…"

"No! I'm fi—fine!"

It was around then that I heard a male laugh and I felt myself pale some. Something told me that I no longer wanted to be on the phone right now with her.

"S—so…mmmn…how about N—nine?"

"Nine sounds good! I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Bye!" she all but yelled into the phone, causing my ears to ring. She slammed it down before I had a chance to say bye to her too, but somehow I'm not sure I wanted to. I don't even think that she would have heard me.

I curse my sister's sex life. There are just some things you never want to hear or know about.

* * *

A/N: I have beeb trying for **_TWO HOURS_** to post this here. The site hates me.

Soo…I made plans to see either Up or The Hangover and grab diner with a friend that I haven't seen since graduation tomorrow night. I know…the movies are old by now, but my campus is showing them at the university for $2 in the theater, so I don't care :-P. Anyways…that just means that I will post either around 2 to 3 when I am waiting for class to start, or earlier in the morning. We will see…

Thanks for all of the reviews!!! I appreciate them : )


	38. Part 38

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

* * *

Part Thirty Eight

I woke up too early the next day and got ready for the move. Something told me that today was a day I would never forget. I never knew how right I would be until it was over. I made pancakes and an actual cake, and got dressed. I left not a second to soon, and got to Kagome's old apartment exactly at nine.

She was a few minutes late, of coarse.

"Hi Kikyo!" She waved to me from the other side of the street where she had managed to find parking for a red car.

"Whose car is that?" I asked her when she crossed over.

"It's Inuyasha's. He let me borrow it for the day. You like?"

"I like. He isn't going to help today?" I was silently thrilled at the idea that he was missing from our plans. It made today much more bearable. I was already having a hard time looking my sister in the eye after hearing what I had the night before. If I had to meet her boyfriend the next day too, I'm not sure if things would have gone smoothly.

"No," she blushed, somehow thinking the same thing I was. "He was called into work. Something went wrong with some of the paper work he has been dealing with lately and he needs to go fix it."

"So then it's just the two of us?"

"For today, yes," she nodded, leading me up into her old apartment and showing me which boxes to take out to the car. She had been coming back for the last few weeks, it seemed, to pack up. She had slowly begun the process, but she wanted to officially move today, especially since her lease was up the next day. I put the cake in a safe place so that it wouldn't get squished, and after what felt like an eternity, we had moved all of the boxes into Inuyasha's living room.

"My God," I sighed as I slumped down onto the couch next to Kagome. "That was tiring."

"It was…Inuyasha had better plan on giving me one hell of a foot rub tonight," she groaned as she took off her shoes.

"Oh…you mean…the same kind of foot rub that he gave you yesterday?"

Immediately her cheeks lit up red.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that."

"You aren't the only one."

"In my defense, it was all his doing!"

"Oh really," I smirked, my eyebrow disappearing into my hairline.

"Yes really. I love the man, but sometimes he can be so childish," she remarked as she shook her head.

"Well…I'm assuming that the 'child' can help you unpack?"

"Yeah…we were thinking of doing that this weekend. We didn't bring anything vital over today, and I am almost entirely set up in here. I think that I slowly started moving in with him last year."

"I can somehow see that," I laughed.

She stuck her tongue out and I jokingly pushed her.

"We should do something to celebrate," I told her after we collapsed into a mass of giggling nonsense.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Like going out to a club. Just the two of us."

Her eyebrows shot to her hairline. I knew how much of a surprise it was to hear that coming from me, but as her lips broke out into a giant grin I knew that she was all for the idea.

"Lets do it!"

That night was the start of something, but at the time, I didn't know how big or tangled things would get.

* * *

A/N: Ok…posting this _**just**_ before class starts (really…it starts in five minutes). Sorry…no ars. Much love an appreciation to all that reviewed!!! I know things are getting dry right now…but not every chapter can be earth shattering. Just give me a few more and then things get more interesting!


	39. Part 39

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)_

* * *

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

Part Thirty Nine

Kagome brought me to her and Inuyasha's room and started looking through her…his…their…closet, looking for things for me to wear to a club. I told her to not put anything on the bed. She raised an eyebrow at my request, but shrugged and put it right back into the closet. I didn't want to wear anything that had been touching a surface where my sister had had sex with her all too perfect boyfriend. I doubted that any sane person could stomach that thought, let alone a somewhat _insane_ one such as myself. Eventually, we were both dressed and ready to go out for the night, and I was more then ready for it.

It took a bit of walking to get to the club, but I was sure that it was going to be well worth it. There were plenty of men that I saw when we first walked in that were well worth our time. Though it isn't as much fun to club with a girl who is tied down, or close to it in this respect, there was nothing to be said about her helping me shop around for good merchandise.

"Oh my God! My feet are killing me just from that," Kagome grumbled. She had chosen to wear heals that had to be at least three inch toothpicks. I told her she would regret it. Only now does she listen to her big sister.

"I have a phrase swimming through my mind right now, but I won't say it."

She glared at me and I took her over to the bar so she could sit down, laughing my head off all the while.

"Do you feel better now?" I teased when she sat down and we ordered drinks.

"I will feel _much_ better when I get home and Inu is waiting for me and can give me a nice foot rub, among other things."

I spit some of the drink that I had just sipped back into my glass at the thought of what all he would be rubbing, and coughed. Clearly my sister thought that it would be fun to burn disturbing images into my brain.

"Why did you even wear those? They're a pain in the ass to walk in, let alone dance!"

"I just wanted to see how they would hold up for a night of something other then foreplay," she dismissed, acting as if what she had said was the most natural thing in the world to say.

I quickly downed the rest of my drink and ordered another one. We spent most of the next half hour talking, laughing, and looking at potential men for me. Eventually, all of the drinks got to Kagome and she ran off to the bathroom.

That was the moment that everything changed for me. Nothing was ever the same. My perception of everything seemed to morph into something else then and there.

"The gentlemen over there," the bartender suddenly approached me, "would like you to have this."

My breath caught in my throat. He was holding a thin flute of champagne. The drink itself reeked of elegance and class. It showed that he thought that I deserved something much finer then the normal alcoholic beverage. It warmed my heart at the very gesture, and the drink itself was almost like a sweet, sweet ambrosia. The only thing that was missing were chocolate covered strawberries. He had me just at the champagne…but things changed the moment I followed the bartender's nod over to the kind gentleman that had decided to spoil me with the fine drink.

My breath caught in my throat when I saw him

Black hair, tan skin, chocolate eyes. Perfection that I wanted to throw into my batter mix and eat up. Slowly.

My White Rose was sitting on the other side of the bar, and he wanted me to come and talk to him.

* * *

A/N: Ok…I know that it has been like…FOREVER since I updated…but college is consuming my life (and I am finally kicking its ass. 96/97 in history. 1 out of 2 grades I will ever get in that class, plus extra credit, and I have a B+ in journalism, which I expect will turn into an A)!!! People always say that college is different from high school, but you never completely believe them until you are in it. I thought that I would have more time to work on this stuff, but un contrare mon frair. Quite the opposite. It doesn't help either that I did the lemon and then I had a "hn…now then…how do I deal with the _next_ chapter" moment. Fortunately, that has passed. I know that this is the _worst_ place to leave you (especially since I can't guarantee that I will update tomorrow…I have been horrible, I know) but I just needed to get _something_ up. I will try and post something soon, but it has been easier said than done lately. (Facebook hasn't been helping this cause either. Their games are F'n' addicting! Yoville is my calling, lol.)

I would do ars (really…I would…you guys know me well enough to know that) but I really just wanted to get this up ASAP, even if it is 12:40 and I am falling asleep as I type this.

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I can never find the words to express just how much that means to me. I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter, and that you won't maim me until the next one.


	40. Part 40

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

* * *

_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

Part Forty

I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. He was really just sitting there, smiling at me. Wanting for me to come and talk to him. There was a twinkle in his eye that warmed me to my very core. It was mischievous and daring. He smirked and raised his glass up, tilting it in a silent cheers. I imitated his movements and sipped my champagne, smiling into the rim. I closed my eyes and sighed, praying that I wasn't imagining things. Praying that my illness hadn't gotten worse. I had thought all of my chances to be with him long gone from that one day in the café when it was pouring down rain, but it looked as if I had been granted a second chance. I could only hope that I would not loose it.

I opened my eyes and found him standing next to my sister's chair, smirking down at me.

"Is this seat taken," he all but purred, and my belly did a flip-flop.

"Yes…I mean no…I mean…it is, but they won't mind," I blushed. How could I get so tongue tied around him? I was making a horrible "first" impression.

"Well then, they will just have to find a different one. I've never seen you here before."

"I don't normally come here. I was helping my sister move into a new apartment, and we decided to come here to celebrate. Do you come here often?"

"Frequently," he replied, the word dripping like honey from his lips. I had to fight back a sudden urge to taste them and find out if they were the just as sweet as they looked and sounded.

"My name is Kikyo," I said after a moment of staring into his smoldering eyes, finally finding my voice. "You are?"

I held my breath, waiting to finally be able to place a name on the man that had come to my little café for so many months, ordering nothing but a blueberry scone and a cup of coffee. I would finally have a name to put with the face, other then White Rose.

"Call me T."

"Tea? As in the drink?"

"T as in the letter."

I felt my heart drop a little. So he was giving me a fake name.

"T huh?"

"It is what my friends call me," he airily replied, acting as if it was an everyday occurrence to give out a fake name, or name yourself after a letter.

"Will I ever get to know what your coworkers call you," I asked him, placing a smirk on my face to match the one that was on his.

"Beautiful _and_ witty, I see."

"Smooth and evasive, I see."

He chuckled at that. "It depends on how well we get to know each other tonight."

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the bold move I was about to make.

"Well then," I breathed, rising to my feet and running my fingers across his shoulder as I walked past him, daring him to follow. "We will just have to become better acquainted."

* * *

A/N: Hn…wonder why he gave out the fake name? Ah well…Kikyo is finally talking to him at least. I took a step back today and briefly reread the first 11 parts to this, and I just realized that I should be having the BIG reveal soon. In reality…

1. My timeline is a bit messed up, as it went from October to around January, I believe, back to November, then up to December, January, and February (I think February…this is horrible!!!) So in reality, this story's timeline (once I fix that) is about 6 or 8 months into the plot. Gonna haffta sit down and figure that out.

2. My plot has changed for the better. What is going on right now was never gonna happen originally, but what the hell. People think this is a Kikyo story instead of an Inu/Kag, so I'm just gonna go all the fuckin' way.


	41. Part 41

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

* * *

_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

Part Forty

I surprised myself with how bold I was, given our past. It was our past though that made me want to push forward with what I was going to do.

"Yes…lets get better acquainted." Each word seemed to glide out of his mouth like silk, wrapping around me just as seductively as the fabric itself and seducing me to do as he desired.

He led me to the dance floor, and my legs seemed to turn to jelly, making me helpless to stop anything that I could have wanted to stop. I was perfectly happy where I was though, wrapped in his arms, my back pressed to his chest.

My heart jumped to my throat and my palms began to sweat as excitement and nervousness coursed through my body. We began to move together. It was the first time since Naraku's death that I was genuinely enjoying myself with another man. Something in me cringed, telling me that I was a liar and that this wasn't the only time.

It was exhilarating being in his presence like this. His hands all over me, his lips on my neck doing nothing more then simply ghosting a path up my neck and back down it. Not kissing…but just barely touching it. I could feel goose bumps forming on my arms from that simple action. It was teasing me into wanting them pressed more firmly against my neck. I hadn't felt this alive in years.

The songs got faster, and our actions became more seductive. I don't know how long we were dancing for. An hour? Two? Three? It was like we were one object, and that was all that mattered. That, and hardness pressing against me from behind. I could feel his tongue run up my neck and his teeth grab a hold of my earlobe, giving it a gentle but commanding nip.

"I know you want me," his voice was a hoarse growl in my ear. "I knew it the day I came into your café. I could see it in your eyes. The way you were eating me up like that."

I wasn't about to deny the fact that this was a true statement. He must have been talking about the day it was poring down rain. I could see through his white shirt to the skin beneath it. The thought of what I saw made me shiver from excitement.

"Why don't we go somewhere more…private," he suggested, thrusting his hips up in time to the music and to let me know exactly what he wanted to do when we were alone.

"Mmn…my place isn't that far from here."

"Then lets grab a cab and go there," he groaned, pushing back against me when I ground up against him.

"I'll meet you outside. I need to get my stuff and say bye to my sister."

"I'll see you there," he replied, his voice full of promises I couldn't wait to let him fulfill. For the first time in years, I was going to do something that I never thought I was going to do again, and I was all too happy to prove myself wrong.

I rushed over to the bar and found Kagome talking to someone that I didn't know. Chances were that she had just met them that day.

"Hey! Where have you been? I was worried sick about you!"

"I met someone when you were in the bathroom. He's waiting outside for me. Sorry about ditching you like th—"

"Nonsense! Go out and have fun with them," she teased, practically shoving me away from the door.

That night changed me forever.

* * *

A/N: Warning: next chapter WILL have a lemon. You have known about this for a while, you have been prepared for this, and you even voted for it to happen! DO NOT read it if you don't want to read a lemon. It is just one chapter, and by it's self it is a simple PWP, so you will miss NOTHING.

GOOD NEWS! I just wrote the chapter where Kikyo learns WR's name, so it is in the future!!! (four or 5 chapters from now, I believe. It was late when I wrote it, and I just wrote three chapters, so idk when exactly off the top of my head, lol).

Thank you to everyone that has R and Red!!!! It means a lot and encourages me to keep on pushing forward!!!


	42. Part 42

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

* * *

_

The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

We stumbled into my bedroom above the bakery, our senses on fire having spent most of the ride here touching, clawing, and tasting each other. Our clothing lay discarded all over my home like the trail of bread crumbs Hansel and Gretel left to find there way home. A shoe here, a shirt there, a certain unmentionable hanging on the banister.

I was suddenly glad that I was as meticulous as I am about keeping a clean home, and that my bed was made. Not that he could have noticed, but it left me feeling content in the small still sane piece of mind.

I grabbed his face and jumped up, wrapping my legs around his waist and pushing him back against the wall, sufficiently trapping him there. It was much easier for me to drive him mad if he were stuck with no place to go but to me. I trailed my lips up his neck to his ear and started suckling, one hand making its way around his back to his buttocks and giving it a firm squeeze while the other traveled down his shoulder to cling to his back.

I heard and felt him moan, and soon I found my back pressed against my bed. I wasn't sure when he had moved us there, but I didn't really give a damn either.

His hands found my wrists and he soon had them trapped about my head, just the way he apparently wanted me. That was fine. I didn't mind being lavished with his lips, tongue, and cheeks. I felt like a goddess under his touch, and he was my mortal worshiper, paying tribute to the deity that he thought would bring him to the heavens with her. I felt him explore my neck and collar bone with his lips and tongue, transferring both of my wrists to one of his large hands. Then, with his now free right hand he started feeling. He began to learn the uncharted territory on my body, and I couldn't but moan now and then, guiding him along to learn what I liked and how I liked it.

He explored every crevasse of my body, and soon enough I was telling him to just put on a condom so we could get to the main course.

That is when he stopped, looked up at me, and I had an urge to say 'oh shit'.

"You have a condom, don't you?" I panted, praying that he did because I was going to be really bitchy the next day if he said 'no' and we couldn't finish what we started.

"You aren't on birth control?"

Oh yes…I could tell that come the next day, I was going to be 'dragon lady'.

"No. You didn't bring a condom?"

"I didn't think that this was going to happen."

I groaned and threw my arm over my eyes.

This wasn't happening. A few moments ago I was on top of the world, and now I find out that I can't climb higher to space.

He was silent for a few moments, but then he hesitantly spoke. "Do you want to wing it?"

"No," I groaned. I wasn't about to get pregnant or risk it. I didn't think that I would have any condoms. I got rid of them a long time ago, and even if I didn't they, and the spermicide, would probably be too old to do much good.

T lay down on the bed next to me, his hard length pressing up against me. I wasn't the only one suffering from this.

"So we can't go all the way," he began, pausing after a moment almost as if he were trying to think of how best to phrase this, "but there are other things that we can do."

I took my arm off of my eyes and turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow in curiosity and silently encouraging him to continue.

"I don't normally do oral…" he trailed off, letting me fill in the blanks. I smirked at where he was going. Oh…we could most certainly do that.

I pushed him back so that he lay flat on the bed, kissing him one last time before turning around and swinging one leg over his chest. I crawled down his body, licking and teasing him here and there. I could feel him shudder as he pulled my hips closer to his head as I finally reached my fantastically eager goal.

I took his length in my hand and started to rub it up and down ever so slowly, enjoying the feel of such sensitive skin in my hands again. It had been such a long time since I had done this last. Since I had wanted to do this. I shoved the thoughts away. That was neither here nor now.

I felt him begin to prod me from behind, and I gave him a low groan of appreciation, encouraging him to do more and try different things. I leaned down and continued to focus on the flesh at hand, rubbing and stroking it, doing everything that I could to get the same responses out of him.

I took him in my mouth and I felt him do the same. It was getting harder and harder to focus, but I still tried my best, drawing on memories from long ago in order to not show him how rusty I may have been. I let my body take over instead of my mind, and soon we both were waving goodbye to Pluto as we hurled out of the solar system.

I crashed back to earth and gripped onto his legs, trying to find some sort of equilibrium. I rolled off of him after a moment, but I still couldn't find the energy to reverse my head with my feet and crawl under the covers. I just needed to be still for a moment.

Eventually I did summon the energy to correct myself, but by then T was asleep.

It was kind of amusing. After all that, I still didn't know his name. I suppose that T was better then White Rose, but I still longed to know who he was.

I closed my eyes and threw my arm over his chest, snuggling into his side.

I supposed that it didn't matter. After all…he was mine now.

…Right?

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A/N: TADA!! The "long awaited lemon". I hope that you guys like it. I hardly ever write this stuff, so I'm sorry if it isn't quite what you expected. I felt a need to be a bit more different then most with the condom thing…but anyways…tell me what you think!!!

So sorry that it took so long to post…you guys are getting two chapters today if I am lucky. Stuff happened that broke it up. Anyways…I will get to the AR's in a little bit before I post the next chapter. Enjoy!!


	43. Part 43

_Disclaimer: I love the only Inuyasha related thing I own. My cute little chibi inu key-chain which lives out its happy life on my iPod making fashion statements everywhere (Ha! Take that Parris Hilton! You want something hot? Then look at my iPod cuz it's so cute and knows how to accessorize.)

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The Café In Manahatta

By: lil6ter

I didn't want to ever wake up, as depressing as that may sound. It was true though. I never wanted to wake up and slide back into my normal little world. I wanted to stay in bed with T for as long as I could.

Unfortunately, there were two little things that wouldn't let that happen.

The first was the sun. I slowly cracked my eyes open and glared at my window. Clearly the sun have never heard of the fact that some of us wanted to sleep in with the man that they had had oral sex with the night before. I smiled softly at the thought of everything that had happened last night. I stretched and rolled over, a frown suddenly on my face when my hand hit the cold, empty space next to me.

The second was the fact that he was gone. He had left me without even saying good bye. I didn't know what to think as my heart started to rise into my throat. I looked down at the pillow next to me, and my lips turned up slightly at what I saw there. A note. The writing was bold and confident. Cocky even. It read as follows:

_Kikyo~_

_I know what this must seem like to you, but I can tell you now that it isn't. One of my clients needs me, and I am not about to lose them. Call me later. 867-5309_

_~T_

Just the fact that he left a number made it seem better. I got out of bed and made it, doing little odds and ends chores all the while admiring what I thought was going to be a fantastic winter day.

When I was finished, I grabbed my phone and started to program his number into it. I didn't want it to get lost, so there is no time like the present. I had to go and meet Onigumo later that day, so I didn't see the harm in making some soup and a few sandwiches and eating lunch with him too. After all…we were friends. Perhaps looking back now, "were" is exactly the word to use, but it doesn't really matter. What is done is done.

When I had everything packed up I took off, eager to see him and talk to him about what had just happened in my life. I thought of telling Kagome the specifics, but I somehow could not seem to bring myself to share all the details. There was something in me begging me to keep it a relative secreat for a bit longer.

I took the subway to his building, and soon I was waving at the receptionist and walking into his office. It was a warm but professional and sophisticated room. One that I used to resent going to, in a way, but one that I had come to like seeing. Well…it wasn't the room that I liked to see, so much as it was Onigumo.

"Kikyo!" he sounded surprised as he looked up at me from his computer with arched eyebrows. "I wasn't expecting you until later. What are you doing here so early?"

"I thought that we could do lunch," I pointed to my insulated bag, "and then combine it with my session. How does that sound?"

"Like you are spoiling me," he smiled, leaning back in his rolling desk chair and folding his arms behind his head.

"Yes, well, don't get to excited. I'm not going to do this every time I come to see you," I teased as I unzipped the bag and pulled out a red and white checkered sheet from in it and spread it across half of his desk.

"Oh really? Something must have happened then for you to want to come for lunch and our session after."

"Something has happened," I blushed, thoughts of the night before swimming through my head. I placed a bowl before him and took out a thermos with soup in it, screwing off the lid and pouring some of it out for him.

He was silent for a few minutes, expecting me to continue on my own, but instead I just finished serving the food.

"And?" he prompted, the curiosity finally getting the best of him.

"And," I began, taking a deep breath before finally saying, "I think I met someone."

I saw something flash through his eyes for a moment, only a second, but there was something there. I took it to mean shock at the time, but now I know differently. Now…now I know that I should have read more into that expression, even if it lasted only for the briefest of moments in time.

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A/N: Sorry…I was wanting to post this, but then I started feeling a little icky and I never got around to it. Anyways…my netbook is about to die, so I hope you liked this!

Thanks to everyone who has red and reviewed!! I wanna do ARs, but I literally have ten minutes of battery left.


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